Southern Indiana (14-3, 5-1 GLVC): 83
at Maryville (5-10, 1-5 GLVC): 66
Box Score
ST. LOUIS, Mo.—Six University of Southern Indiana women's basketball players had at least eight points and three finished in double figures as the Screaming Eagles bounced back from a tough loss Thursday night to defeat host Maryville University, 83-66, Saturday afternoon.
USI (14-3, 5-1 GLVC) got a big boost from its bench, which provided the team with 43 points, and its post players, who outscored the Saints 38-20 in the paint.
After seeing leads of 7-0 and 23-15 evaporate in the first half, the Eagles found themselves facing a 37-36 deficit with just under three minutes to play in the first period.
Sophomore guard Cootie Leeberg, however, provided USI with a major boost as she scored four straight points to jump-start a 10-0 run that ended with USI holding a 46-37 advantage at the intermission. Leeberg finished the contest with 12 points, eight of which came in the first 20 minutes.
Senior guard/forward Abby Williams, who finished with nine points and a team-high tying six rebounds, hit a pair of free throws to give USI a 42-37 lead with a minute left in the half.
Sophomore guard Rinesha Soaper, who scored 12 of her team-high tying 14 points in the first period, hit a lay-up 30 seconds later to give the Eagles a seven-point lead, while junior forward/center Courtney Perry hit a bucket in the final five seconds of the first period to end the 10-0 run. Perry finished with six points and six rebounds in her first career start.
The Eagles continued the decisive run into the second period as they scored five straight points to extend their advantage to 14 with 19 minutes to play in the contest. USI extended its advantage to 21 by the first media timeout and 28 on three different occasions before settling for the 17-point victory.
Junior guard Ellen Young led the Eagles in the second period, scoring 12 of her 14 points in the final 20 minutes. Young, who got into foul trouble in the first period, also matched Perry and Williams with six rebounds.
USI also got eight points from junior guard Amie Newhart and sophomore forward/center Ashton Mertens. Newhart also finished with a game-high six assists and three steals.
USI, which out-rebounded the Saints, 40-32, returns to action Thursday at 5:15 p.m. when it travels to Owensboro, Kentucky, to take on Kentucky Wesleyan College. The Eagles host Quincy University next Saturday at 1 p.m.
