at Southern Indiana (5-0): 64
Lake Superior State (1-3): 51
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EVANSVILLE, Ind.—Buoyed by a strong defensive effort, the University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team earned a 64-51 victory over Lake Superior State University in the final game of the USI Thanksgiving Classic Sunday afternoon at the Physical Activities Center.
Early in the contest, it looked as if both teams were on pace for big numbers as USI held a slim 20-18 advantage with 10 minutes to play in the first period. The Screaming Eagles, however, held the visiting Lakers scoreless for the next seven minutes of the contest to extend their lead to 10 points.
Neither team got much offense going in the final seven minutes of the first half—the two teams combined for just five points and one field goal—but an 8-0 USI run from the 10-minute mark to the 7:35-juncture of the opening period allowed the Eagles to create a little breathing room.
USI (5-0), which is off to its best five-game start since the 2000-01 season, got three-pointers from junior guards
Stephanie Carpenter and
Jessica Parker during the 8-0 spurt as it built its first double-digit lead of the contest.
Women's Thanksgiving Classic Gallery
Lake Superior State (1-3), which trailed 31-20 at the break, used a 6-0 run in the second period to pull to within six (40-34) with less than 13 minutes to play, but a bucket by junior forward/center
Nicole Hazemi and another three-pointer by Carpenter quickly put the Eagles up by 11 with 11 minutes left in the contest.
The Eagles, who held the Lakers to just 34.0 percent from the floor (15-33) and 15.3 percent from three-point range (2-13), did not allow Lake Superior State to get any closer than eight throughout the remainder of the game as they picked up their second straight regional victory.
Sophomore forward/center
Anna Hackert aided the Eagles, particularly in the final 20 minutes, where she scored 11 of her team-high 17 points. Hackert, who was 6-of-10 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free throw line, added a team-high eight rebounds in the win.
Junior guard
Ariel Barnes had 10 points and three assists, while Hazemi contributed 10 points and seven rebounds. Carpenter finished with nine points, five assists, and a career-high six steals.
Senior forward Maria Blazejewski led the Lakers with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while sophomore guard Kandace Crittendon added 16 points.
Earlier in the day, Bellarmine University defeated Notre Dame College (Ohio), 76-50, to match the Eagles with a 2-0 mark in the USI Thanksgiving Classic. Both Lake Superior and Notre Dame (Ohio) finished 0-2.
USI returns to action Thursday at 6 p.m. when it hosts Mid-Continent University at the PAC.
