EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball battled Murray State University to an exciting, competitive battle on Friday night at Liberty Arena, but the Screaming Eagles came up short, 79-77, after the Racers hit a game-winning layup at the buzzer.
USI Women's Basketball (1-1) found itself in another tight contest against Murray State (1-0) on Friday night, just like last year's battle in Murray, Kentucky. Neither side built a lead bigger than single digits on Friday night. USI led by as many as seven in the first quarter, while Murray State's largest lead was nine points in the middle of the fourth quarter.
Both teams shot for 42 percent from the floor in the game. USI went 32-76 compared to the Racers' 22-52 effort in shooting the basketball. A significant difference came at the free-throw line. USI was 8-13 at the stripe, while Murray State racked up 34 attempts and made 30 free throws. The Racers won the battle on the glass by four, 42-38.
Individually, senior guard
Ali Saunders returned to the court and paced the Screaming Eagles with 23 points on 10-18 shooting with eight assists. The 23 points are a personal best for Saunders since putting on the Screaming Eagles uniform. Right behind Saunders was junior guard
Sophia Loden with a career-best 21 points on 8-15 shooting and a career-high 12 rebounds, marking Loden's first career double-double performance. Junior forward
Amiyah Buchanan nearly joined Loden with a double-double, recording 10 points and nine boards.
The Screaming Eagles got off to a solid start on both ends of the court, jumping out to a quick 8-1 advantage three and a half minutes in. USI limited Murray State to only one field goal for five-plus minutes in. Loden tallied the first four points for USI while also crashing the boards early. Following the first-quarter media timeout, the Racers charged back. However, sophomore guard
Lexi Sepulveda came off the bench with five points in the final two minutes to help USI go ahead 15-14 after the opening quarter.
Murray State went on a small run to begin the second quarter, building a five-point lead, 24-19, just over four minutes into the frame. Saunders made a pair of field goals, while junior guard
Shannon Blacher drained a three later in the second to propel USI back in front, 28-25, with three minutes to go in the first half. USI went ahead by as many as five in the final 90 seconds before Murray State responded to tie the game at 32 going into halftime.
After a quick bucket by junior forward
Chloe Gannon to begin the second half, Murray State went on an 8-0 run to take a 42-34 advantage. Near the midway point of the third quarter, the Screaming Eagles cut the deficit down to three, 45-42, thanks to back-to-back buckets from Saunders. Murray State tried to pull away again, but once again, USI climbed back. With a minute left, Buchanan drilled a straightaway triple to tie the game at 51. The Racers ended up taking a 55-53 lead into the fourth period.
Murray State went on a 6-0 run to begin the fourth quarter before Gannon scored a layup two minutes into the quarter to end the run. While the Racers' lead grew to nine, 64-55, with seven minutes to go. The Screaming Eagles continue to show no quit, as Loden cashed in to reach a new career high, and Buchanan converted a three-point play to make the score 66-63 in favor of the Racers with under five minutes to play. The contest wound up coming down to the wire. As Murray State led by three, 77-74, with just under 10 seconds left, Saunders netted a game-tying triple with two seconds on the clock. Following a timeout and advancement of the basketball, the Racers scored a game-winning layup at the buzzer.
Next, the Screaming Eagles will gear up for their first road game of the season when USI travels to Saint Louis University next Wednesday, November 12. Tipoff from Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri, is set for 7 p.m. The game can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM.
