Box Score

The University of Evansville women’s basketball team has taken up the habit of ending games in dramatic fashion, including today’s matinée in which the Aces edged the visiting Butler Bulldogs, 51-49. With the win, UE improved to 5-3 on the year, already exceeding last season’s number of wins, while Butler fell to 4-4.

With twenty seconds to play, junior Staci Gillum hit the first of two free throws to give the Aces a 51-49 lead. The Bulldogs secured the rebound on the miss and had a chance to tie or win on the final possession. Sophomore Taylor Ware blocked one attempt, but Butler’s Sarah Hamm tried another shot. It didn’t fall and in a scrum under the basket, junior Chelsea Falkenstein came away with the ball and outletted it to safety as the clock expired.

The Aces are now 2-0 against in-state rivals, including a, 69-67, win over Valparaiso. “We want to own our state and it started with the Valpo game,” said Coach Misty Murphy. “Our players rose to the occasion today, stepped up, and played well to beat a very good Butler team.”

Junior Briyana Blair led the Aces with 17 points, going 6-for-8 from the field, and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Falkenstein also had a solid performance, tallying eight point and seven rebounds, along with three assists, three blocks, and two steals.

In the first half, Evansville jumped out to a 10-3 lead, but Butler quickly caught up and took a 15-14 advantage at the 12:16 mark. The Aces regained the lead on their next basket, a layup by senior Stephanie Bamberger, and held it for the remainder of the half by no more than four points, taking a 27-24 lead into the locker room.

With 15:34 to go in the second period, the Bulldogs turned the tables again, going up 33-31 on Mandy McDivitt’s foul shot. Blair tied it with a jumper and the Aces took the lead on a basket by Falkenstein, but a traded basket with Butler evened the score for the third time in the game.

However, the Aces took command from there on freshman Katie Ellerson’s three, making the score 38-35 with 9:37 to go. That would be the fourth and last lead change of the game, as the Aces went on to hold off the Bulldogs.

Evansville shot 81.8% (9-for-11) from the free throw line, while Butler had just as many chances, but shot just 45.5% (5-for-11). In a two-point game, every handout is important.

The Aces are back in action Saturday when they play host to UT-Martin at 2:00pm CST at Roberts Stadium. The men’s team plays afterwards versus Maryland-Eastern Shore at 7:05pm.