at Southern Indiana (4-3, 1-1 GLVC): 76
Bellarmine (3-3, 1-1 GLVC): 59
Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—After seeing a 20-point second half cushion close to just five points with less than nine minutes to play in the game, the University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team held its ground to pick up a much-needed 76-59 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory over East Division rival Bellarmine University at the Physical Activities Center Saturday evening.

The Screaming Eagles (4-3, 1-1 GLVC), who opened the game with a 9-0 run, began the second half with a 12-3 spurt to claim a 45-25 advantage with just under 16 minutes to play in the contest.

Bellarmine (3-3, 1-1 GLVC), which committed 15 first-half turnovers and shot just 24.0 percent to go into the intermission facing a 33-22 deficit, went on a 21-6 run during the next seven minutes to close the Eagles' cushion to 51-46.

That would be as close as the visiting Knights would get, however, as the Eagles went on a 7-0 run to extend their lead back to double-digits with just under seven minutes to play.

Senior guard Amie Newhart, who had 10 points in the victory, began the run with a baseline layup to give the Eagles a seven-point lead. Junior guard/forward Kristin Raker hit a pair of free throws a minute later to extend the Eagles' lead to nine points; then senior guard Ellen Young hit 1-of-2 free throws before connecting on a running layup to give USI a 12-point lead.

USI, which racked up 20 offensive rebounds and outscored the Knights 30-24 in the paint, never let Bellarmine back to within single digits as it picked up its first conference win of the season.

Young led the Eagles with 18 points and 13 rebounds, posting the Eagles' first double-double of the season; while Raker and senior guard Lauren Meneghetti each had 13 points. Senior guard Stephanie Gehlhausen rounded out the Eagles' double-figure scorers with 11 points in her first starting role of her USI career.

Gehlhausen also had seven rebounds, four assists, and five steals as the Eagles defeated the Knights for the third straight meeting and, in the process, recorded their 500th victory in the program's 35-year history.

Sophomore forward Jalissa Chatlos had 16 points and seven rebounds to lead the Knights, while freshman guard Therese Montano chipped in 15 points and six rebounds.

USI returns to action Wednesday at 6 p.m. when it travels to Florence, Alabama, to take on the University of North Alabama.