EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball was outscored 44-22 in the second half of its regular-season finale Thursday evening as it suffered an 87-59 Great Lakes Valley Conference setback to No. 25 Bellarmine University at the Physical Activities Center.
The Screaming Eagles (14-12, 7-11 GLVC) battled back from an early seven-point deficit to take a 23-20 lead early in the second period. USI, which got to the free throw line nine times in the opening frame, led 33-30 with just under five minutes to play in the second quarter.
Bellarmine (21-3, 15-3 GLVC), however, went on an 8-0 to take a 38-33 lead with just over three minutes to play in the first half. The Eagles trimmed that deficit to a single-digit a minute later, but the Knights answered with five straight points to take a 43-37 halftime advantage.
USI opened the third quarter with a basket to trim the Knights' lead to four points, but a 21-4 Bellarmine run that lasted more than six minutes put Bellarmine up 64-45 with less than four minutes to play in the period.
The Eagles got to within 15 at the end of the third quarter, but Bellarmine opened the final frame with six straight points to build a 75-51 lead with just under eight minutes to play. Bellarmine's advantage ballooned to as much as 29 before the final second ticked off the clock.
Sophomore guard/forward
Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) led the Eagles with 13 points and five rebounds, while sophomore forward
Morgan Dahlstrom (Grayslake, Illinois) added 12 points and six rebounds.
Junior forward Sarah Galvin had 21 points to lead the Knights, who shot 56.7 percent from the field, while junior guard Whitney Hartlage added 16 points and four assists.
USI shot just 32.4 percent from the field and was just 1-of-10 from three-point range. Bellarmine went 12-of-21 (.571) from behind the arc.
The Eagles, who found themselves in a five-team tie at 7-11 in the GLVC, will be the No. 11 seed when GLVC Tournament play begins Sunday. USI will travel to Rensselaer, Indiana, to take on the No. 6 seed, Saint Joseph's College, in the first round.
USI will be looking to advance to the GLVC Tournament quarterfinals, which are March 3 in St. Charles, Missouri, for the third straight season.
