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Box Score (html)
Southern Indiana (9-17, 3-15 GLVC): 78
at Kentucky Wesleyan (14-12, 8-10 GLVC): 69
OWENSBORO, Ky.—The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team used a 20-4 run late in the second half to defeat Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division rival Kentucky Wesleyan College, 78-69, in its season-finale Thursday evening at the Owensboro Sportscenter.
Trailing 54-48 with less than eight minutes to play, freshman forward/center
Mary O'Keefe got a layup to fall through the net while getting fouled in the process. O'Keefe drained the ensuing free throw to bring the Screaming Eagles to within three with just over seven minutes to play.
USI got a bucket from sophomore guard
Ariel Barnes and three-pointer by freshman guard
Taylor Stevenson in the following minute as it matched the Panthers at 56.
After spotting Kentucky Wesleyan (14-12, 8-10 GLVC) a brief two-point lead, the Eagles reeled off 12 straight points to take a commanding 68-58 lead with four minutes to play in the contest.
O'Keefe, who scored 15 of her 17 points in the second half, began the run by knocking down four straight free throws. She followed the foul shots with a bucket to give the Eagles a 62-58 advantage; then sophomore guard
Stephanie Carpenter drained back-to-back three-pointers to give USI the double-digit lead, its largest of the contest.
USI, which out-rebounded the Panthers, 47-38, converted 8-of-12 free throws in the final four minutes as it held on for its ninth win of the year.
Carpenter finished the contest with a team-high 20 points, 11 coming in the final nine minutes of the game, while O'Keefe added seven rebounds to her 17 points. Freshman forward/center
Anna Hackert recorded her team-leading fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and a season-high tying 12 rebounds, while Barnes and Stevenson finished with nine and seven points, respectively.
Barnes also added four assists, matching senior guard
Cootie Leeberg for the team lead. Leeberg finished her collegiate career by scoring seven points and grabbing five rebounds, while fellow classmate
Kristin Raker finished with three points and two assists in her final game of her collegiate career.
Kentucky Wesleyan, which hosts Saint Joseph's College in the opening round of the GLVC Tournament Sunday, got a game-high 21 points from sophomore guard Karly Rhoads and 15 points from senior forward Kristen Rowe. Senior center Katie Behrens added nine points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
For the Eagles, the season concludes with one of their best all-around performances of the 2011-12 campaign. The Eagles shot 44.3 percent from the field and overcame several adverse moments throughout the contest to pull out the victory.
USI, which led 32-30 at the break, used a 10-0 run early in the second half to stop an 8-0 Kentucky Wesleyan spurt. The Panthers answered USI's run with a 10-0 outburst to take a 48-42 advantage with less than 14 minutes to play in the contest.
The Eagles, who have 11 underclassmen on their roster, came charging back, scoring six of the next eight points to cut the Panthers' advantage to two points; then used the 20-4 run to build the 68-58 advantage.
