Missouri S&T (12-2, 6-0 GLVC): 74
at Southern Indiana (8-6, 4-2 GLVC): 70
Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team saw a 15-point second-half lead fall by the wayside as it fell to Missouri University of Science & Technology, 74-70, Saturday afternoon in a Great Lakes Valley Conference bout at the Physical Activities Center.

Missouri S&T junior guard Toni Knar scored 18 of her game-high 22 points in the second half and drained six of her seven three-pointers as the Miners, behind second-half runs of 11-0 and 10-2, picked up their league-best 10th straight win.

The Screaming Eagles (8-6, 4-2 GLVC) dominated the contest early, getting 11 first-half points from senior forward/center Courtney Perry (Indianapolis, Indiana). Perry, who sat out much of the second half with foul trouble, finished with a team and career-high 15 points and a game-high eight rebounds.

USI led by as many as 11 points in the first half; but the Miners stormed back, cutting the Eagles' lead to three points before USI junior guard/forward Kristin Raker hit a three-pointer to end the half and give the Eagles a 42-36 advantage at the break.

The Eagles used an 11-2 run to begin the second half and forge a 53-38 lead with just under 17 minutes to play in the contest.

Knar, however, drained three shots from downtown during an 11-0 run that cut USI's advantage to 53-49 with 13:31 to play. She hit another three-pointer two minutes later to give the Miners a brief one-point advantage, then tied the contest at 59-59 with her fifth three-pointer of the half.

The Eagles answered with a 6-0 run that lasted nearly four minutes to grab a 67-62 lead. Knar, however, hit her sixth three-pointer of the half to give the Miners a 70-69 edge, an advantage Missouri S&T would not relinquish, with 3:33 to play.

Trailing by two with less than 15 seconds to play, USI senior guard Ellen Young missed a three-pointer from the far corner that was rebounded by Missouri S&T's Courtney Kemp. Kemp hit a wide-open Julie Meyer on the ensuing outlet pass, allowing the junior guard/forward to hit an easy layup and give the Miners a 74-70 advantage with 7.4 seconds to play in the contest.

USI, which shot 46.4 percent in the game, had four players finish in double figures. In addition to Perry, Young, who eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in her USI career Thursday, finished with 14 points and five rebounds. Raker added 11 points, while senior guard/forward Lauren Meneghetti chipped in 10 points. Senior guard/forward Amie Newhart also had nine points and a game-high seven assists.

Meyer added 17 points for the Miners, who shot 49.1 percent from the field and finished with just nine turnovers.

USI returns to action Thursday when it hosts defending GLVC champion Drury University. Tip-off is 5:15 p.m. at the PAC.