CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball concluded its non-conference season with a 73-50 setback against the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois on Sunday afternoon.
Sunday's result moved Southern Indiana's record to 8-3 with the beginning of Ohio Valley Conference play looming later this week. The loss was USI's third against a major-conference team and second against a Big Ten Conference school this season. Illinois, who had received votes in the latest AP Top-25 poll and was ranked No. 25 in the latest coaches poll, improved to 9-2 on the campaign.
In a defensive battle to start the contest, senior guard
Vanessa Shafford got Southern Indiana on the board with a three-pointer to answer an early three by Illinois. A 9-7 lead for the Fighting Illini with two and a half minutes left in the first quarter flipped into USI's favor thanks to six forced turnovers and a 6-0 run to give the Screaming Eagles a 13-9 lead after 10 minutes of action.
Despite USI's solid second-quarter defense, Illinois utilized three triples and held Southern Indiana scoreless for nearly nine minutes. This difference led to a 24-13 advantage for the Illini. Sophomore guard
Sophia Loden and graduate forward
Meredith Raley ended the Eagles' scoreless drought in the last minute of the first half. However, Illinois went into halftime ahead 28-17.
Out of the break, Raley tallied back-to-back baskets to pull Southern Indiana within nine, 30-21. Illinois later responded with a 12-0 run over three minutes to go up 44-23. Junior guard
Ali Saunders snapped the run draining a trey with three minutes left in the third quarter. A jumper from Raley in the last minute of the third put the forward into double figures for the game, as Illinois led 52-32 after three periods of play.
Southern Indiana began the fourth quarter with five fast points to draw back to within 15, 52-37, forcing Illinois to take a quick timeout. USI drew closer thanks to a three-pointer and a jumper from Shafford, and then a fast-break layup from sophomore guard
Triniti Ralston brought the Eagles to within 10, 56-46, with a little over five minutes remaining. However, a pair of three-point plays and a 9-0 run over the last 2:30 of the game helped the Illini to close out the game.
The Screaming Eagles were 19-52 for nearly 37 percent from the floor and 7-13 for over 53 percent from beyond the arc. USI was 5-10 at the foul line. Raley led Southern Indiana with 13 points while Shafford added 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Illinois shot for nearly 42 percent overall (25-60) and hit 33 percent from three-point range (7-21). The Illini went 16-18 for nearly 89 percent at the free-throw stripe. Illinois outrebounded USI 44-26. Fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic posted her seventh double-double of the season with 17 points and 16 rebounds for the Illini. Freshman forward Berry Wallace had a game-high 18 points.
USI returns to Liberty Arena, home of the Screaming Eagles, Thursday at 5 p.m. to tip off Ohio Valley Conference play against Tennessee State University. Thursday's contest will be the first of three straight at home to start the OVC season for the Screaming Eagles. Tickets for all home games at Liberty Arena can be purchased online at usiscreamingeagles.com or the USI Ticket Office.
