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EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Evansville women’s basketball team cut a once 24-point second-half deficit back to just four points Saturday, but that was as close as the Purple Aces would get, as the visiting Bradley Braves held off Evansville for an 80-68 victory at Roberts Stadium in Evansville.
Bradley blew a one-point game open in the first half with a 16-3 run with under nine minutes to go in the opening half to turn a 20-19 game into a 36-22 Bradley lead with 4:11 left in the half. The Braves would eventually take a 45-27 lead into the halftime locker room thanks to 51.4 percent shooting from the floor in the opening 20 minutes.
Bradley would explode for 15 more points in the opening five minutes of the second half to build a 60-36 lead on a three-pointer by reserve guard Hanna Muegge with 15:14 to play. That’s when Evansville would finally respond.
The Purple Aces used a 16-3 run of its own to trim the deficit back to 11 points, 63-52, with 7:33 to play, as senior center Shannon Novosel scored eight of her game-high 19 points in the run to spark the offense. The two teams would trade baskets for the next two minutes, before another Evansville run, this time a 10-3 sprint sparked by six points from junior guard Amy Gallagher, would cut the Bradley lead to just four, 72-68 with 1:35 to play.
Gallagher nearly trimmed the lead even further after a Bradley turnover, but her lay-up rimmed out, and Bradley’s Sonya Harris pulled down the rebound and was fouled. Harris would hit one of two free throws, but on her miss, fellow BU post player Monica Rogers grabbed the board and hit two more free throws to push the Braves’ lead back to seven, 75-68. A transition lay-up by Rogers and three more free throws in the final minute would provide the final margin of victory for Bradley.
Novosel led all scorers with 19 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, as she recorded her second double-double of the season. Gallagher joined her in double-figures with 17 points and six rebounds, while senior guard Ashley Austin chipped in 14 points and six steals for UE. Rogers scored 18 points to pace Bradley, while Harris added 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Raisa Taylor chipped in 15 points.
With the victory, Bradley improves to 16-6 overall and 7-4 in the MVC. Evansville, meanwhile, slips to 9-13 overall and 2-9 in the Valley.
Saturday’s game was played in a front of a season-high 2,028 fans who came out to support the seventh annual Women’s Hoops For The Cure. Proceeds from today’s game went to benefit the Greater Evansville Affiliate of Susan G. Komen For The Cure’s breast cancer research.
“I really want to thank the fans who came out to support the Hoops For The Cure,” said UE head coach Misty Murphy. “Breast cancer is something that affects so many people, and the Komen Foundation does so much to help try and find a cure for the disease. We are extremely proud to be able to partner with Komen for today’s event and help do our part in the fight against breast cancer.”
Evansville will now hit the road this week, traveling to Creighton on Thursday for a 7:05 p.m. contest. Thursday’s game can be heard live on 91.5 F.M.-WUEV.
