at Lewis (14-3, 7-2 GLVC): 71
#23 Southern Indiana (13-4, 5-4 GLVC): 69
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ROMEOVILLE, Ill.—The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team rallied from 11 down, but could not complete what would have been an improbable comeback as host Lewis University held on for a 71-69 Great Lakes Valley Conference win against the Screaming Eagles Saturday afternoon.
USI (13-4, 5-4 GLVC) controlled much of the contest early as it led by as many as five in the opening period and by two (32-30) at the intermission. The Eagles forged a 44-41 lead with 13 minutes to play, but Lewis took over from that juncture.
“In that second half, we had some silly fouls,” USI Head Coach
Rick Stein said. “They were in the bonus early and got into the double-bonus early; and that seemed like it kind of fueled their fire.”
USI committed six fouls in the first eight minutes of the second half and eight in the first nine minutes as Lewis made 10-of-16 second half free throws.
“I thought they had trouble scoring against our half-court defense; then we had some silly fouls that got them into the bonus,” Stein said.
The most crucial foul, however, may have come with 11 minutes on the clock when USI sophomore forward/center
Anna Hackert was sent to the bench with her fourth of the contest.
Lewis (14-3, 7-2 GLVC) capitalized on her absence as it went on a 14-5 run to build a 61-51 advantage with 6:37 to play.
USI cut the deficit to six; but another 5-0 run, this time with Hackert in the lineup, allowed the Flyers to go up 66-55 with five minutes on the clock.
Then Hackert caught fire as she scored 10 of her team-high 19 points in the final 3:47 to bring the Eagles, who were just 1-of-13 from three-point range, back to within a point (70-69) with seven seconds left.
“Just when it looked like the game was getting away from us, we fought back,” Stein said. “You have to credit our girls for not giving up and fighting back.
“Anna's on the court and they had a hard time guarding her,” Stein continued. “It wasn't all from a pass either. Some were off offensive rebounds where she got in there to get a second shot.”
One of the second chance-opportunities Stein mentioned nearly forced overtime in the closing seconds.
Following a missed free throw by Lewis senior forward Sam Rinehart, who had a game-high 22 points and 11 rebounds, Hackert got the rebound and kicked out to junior guard
Ariel Barnes.
Barnes, who finished with 18 points, was fouled and sent to the free throw line for a one-in-the-bonus with four seconds to play. When Barnes's first free throw missed its mark, Hackert was there to collect her 11th rebound and her eighth offensive board. But her put back with less than two seconds on the clock did not fall as Lewis corralled ensuing rebound to escape with the two-point victory.
“We had a couple opportunities at the end to tie or take the lead and it just didn't go for us,” Stein said.
USI, which has lost three straight games, returns to action Thursday at 5:15 p.m. when it hosts Bellarmine University at the Physical Activities Center. The Eagles are 10-0 on their home court this season.
