MARTIN, Tenn. – Despite a solid second-half charge, University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball fell just short on the road at the University of Tennessee at Martin on Thursday, 66-58.
 
Following a slow start on Thursday, the Screaming Eagles (15-7, 9-4 OVC) made a strong push in the second half to tie the game in the middle of the fourth quarter before the Skyhawks (12-10, 8-5 OVC) jumped ahead to claim the ballgame.
 
The Screaming Eagles were led in scoring on Thursday by senior guard Ali Saunders, who posted a game-high 20 points. Saunders also had four rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Junior forward Chloe Gannon tallied 10 points with eight boards and four steals.
 
USI shot for 32 percent (18-57) from the floor, with three triples, and 79 percent (19-24) at the free-throw line. The Eagles controlled the glass, 39-33.
 
UT Martin had three players score in double figures. Collectively, the Skyhawks shot for 44 percent (22-50) overall, with six three-pointers, and 64 percent (16-25) from the foul line.
 
The Skyhawks jumped out to a 7-0 advantage two minutes into the contest. Despite a made field goal and free-throw conversion by Gannon, as well as a made shot and two made free throws by Saunders, the Screaming Eagles remained down by seven, 16-9, at the end of the first quarter.
 
The Skyhawks pushed their lead to double digits in the early minutes of the second quarter. Back-to-back tallies in the middle of the second by Saunders and junior guard Sophia Loden cut the difference back down to single digits, 23-15, with five minutes to play in the first half. The two sides exchanged baskets late in the second period, but UT Martin knocked down a couple of threes that helped to extend the lead back above 10. A last-second layup by Gannon right before the break brought USI back within 12, 35-23, going into halftime.
 
After a bit of a shooting drought for both teams to start the second half, USI made a run late in the third quarter. Trailing 40-26 in the middle of the third, the Screaming Eagles went on a 10-0 run. Redshirt sophomore guard Kylee Dennis scored three fast-break layups during the run. The Eagles trimmed the deficit down to three, but the Skyhawks scored in the last possession of the third to lead by five, 48-43, heading into the fourth quarter.
 
The Screaming Eagles continued to inch back at the start of the fourth frame. Saunders tied the game at 50 with a stepback three-pointer and 6:25 left in the quarter. However, UT Martin quickly answered with five straight points to regain the lead. Inside the final three minutes, USI went on a cold stretch from the floor, and the Skyhawks capitalized to increase their lead and close out the ballgame.
 
Following Thursday's results around the Ohio Valley Conference, USI is in fourth place in the conference standings going into the next game on Saturday.
 
The Screaming Eagles continue the road trip on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Saturday's game can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM.