at Southern Indiana (18-8, 12-6 GLVC): 71
Bellarmine (13-13, 9-9 GLVC): 58
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EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team used a late 9-0 run to overcome a Bellarmine University rally and earn a 71-58 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory in its regular-season finale Thursday evening at the Physical Activities Center.
After leading by as many as 15 points early in the second period, the Screaming Eagles saw their cushion slowly dissipate as the Knights closed to within four points (60-56) with less than three minutes to play.
USI (18-8, 12-6 GLVC), however, got a wide-open layup from junior guard
Libby Ogden (Tipton, Indiana) to go up by six with 2:15 to play. After a defensive stand, junior forward/center
Anna Hackert, who led the Eagles with a game-high 22 points and 12 rebounds, hit a pair of free throws to put the Eagles up 64-56 with just under two minutes to go.
Hackert made another free throw with a minute to play and, after another defensive stand, junior guard
Mariah Nimmo drained two free throws with 51 seconds to play to put USI up by double-figures. Hackert capped the 9-0 run off with two more free throws, giving the Eagles a much-more comfortable 69-56 lead with 40 seconds on the clock.
The Eagles, who closed the regular season on a four-game winning streak to clinch the No. 6 seed in the Deaconess GLVC Championship Tournament, used a 17-1 run in the opening period to build a commanding 23-7 lead with nine minutes to play in the half. Hackert scored eight of her 10 first-half points in the run as USI took control of the contest.
Bellarmine (13-13, 9-9 GLVC) trimmed the deficit to 37-25 at the break, but a three-pointer by junior guard
Autumn Miller in the first minute of the second half put the Eagles up by 15.
USI dominated the lane in the first period as it outscored Bellarmine 20-6 in the paint and held a 23-13 rebounding edge. For the game, USI held a 46-30 rebounding advantage and outscored the Kngihts 30-20 in the paint.
In addition to Hackert, who collected her eighth double-double of the season and the 23rd of her career, USI got 15 points and nine rebounds from junior forward/center
Mary O'Keefe. Ogden added nine points, while senior guard
Stephanie Carpenter chipped in seven points.
Carpenter and fellow classmates
Ariel Barnes,
Nicole Hazemi,
Aubrey Minix, and
Jessica Parker were honored following the contest as part of USI's Senior Night festivities.
The Eagles return to action Sunday at 1 p.m. when they host the No. 11 seed, Missouri University of Science & Technology, in the first round of the GLVC Tournament at the PAC. The winner of Sunday's game advances to play in the quarterfinals of the GLVC Tournament next Thursday at the Ford Center.
