Southern Indiana (11-0, 3-0 GLVC): 56
at Illinois Springfield (4-7, 1-2 GLVC): 49
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill.—The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team struggled to make shots in its Great Lakes Valley Conference bout with the University of Illinois Springfield Thursday evening, but its defense clamped down and propelled the Screaming Eagles to a 56-49 victory over the host Prairie Stars.
USI (11-0, 3-0 GLVC) held the Prairie Stars to just three points in the final 9:32 of the contest, including a near-nine minute stretch, as it overcame a 43-39 second-half deficit to match the second-best start in program history.
“To go nine minutes without giving up any points, that's how you win on the road,” Head Coach
Rick Stein said following the game.
Illinois Springfield (4-7, 1-2 GLVC), which trailed 26-21 at the break and 29-21 early in the closing period, used an 11-1 run to turn a 38-32 deficit into a four-point edge with just over 12 minutes to play.
USI countered with a 5-0 run which was capped by a layup by junior guard
Stephanie Carpenter; but a three-pointer by Illinois Springfield's Mallory Beck gave the Prairie Stars a 46-44 lead with 9:32 to play.
“We had them at 21 at the half and they scored 25 in the first 10 minutes of the second half,” Stein said. “They did a good job of making some baskets, but we did not defend well enough.”
The Eagles, however, clamped down as they forced Illinois Springfield into four turnovers and held the Prairie Stars to 0-of-8 shooting during the next 8:30 of the contest.
Meanwhile, USI got a layup from junior guard
Ariel Barnes and a free throw from sophomore forward/center
Anna Hackert to tie the score. Sophomore guard
Libby Ogden, who finished with seven points, drained a three-pointer with just over seven minutes to play as the Eagles took the lead for good.
Both teams went scoreless for the next four minutes, but free throws by Barnes and sophomore forward/center
Mary O'Keefe gave the Eagles a commanding 53-46 lead with one minute to play.
Meredith Marti drained a three-pointer to bring the Prairie Stars to within four points (53-49) with 57 seconds to play; but that is as close as Illinois Springfield would get as the Eagles went 3-of-4 at the free throw line in the final minute to preserve the victory.
“We just did a better job of executing on the defensive end in the last 10 minutes and that was the difference in the game,” Stein said. “We used different defenses throughout the game to keep them off-balanced and I think our team defense was really the difference. Our players really stepped up.”
Hackert led the Eagles with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Barnes added 13 points, three assists, and a career-high five steals. Nicole Collins paced the Prairie Stars with 10 points.
USI, which shot 33.3 percent in the second half and 36.2 percent for the game, returns to action Saturday at 1 p.m. when it visits Quincy University at the Pepsi Arena in Quincy, Illinois. The Lady Hawks (5-6, 6-0 GLVC) defeated Kentucky Wesleyan College, 65-58, Thursday evening.
