Box Score

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Closing the gap to three points in the second half after falling behind as much as 16 points in the opening period, the University of Evansville women’s basketball team could not hold on Sunday afternoon at Bowling Green State University’s Stroh Center, as the Falcons’ late run resulted in a 71-54 defeat. With the loss, the Purple Aces fall to 0-3 on the season, while the defending Mid-American Conference champions improve to 1-2.

Junior Taylor Ware led the Aces offensively with a career-high 17 points, shooting 4-for-6 from the floor and had a perfect 9-for-9 performance at the free throw line. Ware also added six rebounds, five of them offensively. Classmate Samantha Heck tallied nine points and six boards, while senior Chelsea Falkenstein had a team-high 10 rebounds and added seven points. Sophomore Katie Ellerson also had seven points, including two threes.

Bowling Green got off to a fast start, going on a 7-0 run to begin the game. Junior Jordan Lewis put the Aces on the board at the 17:24 mark with a layup on the right side.

The Falcons stretched their lead to 10 points, 15-5, with 12:39 remaining in the first half and then went on an 8-0 run following Falkenstein’s jumper at the 12:01 mark, for BGSU’s largest lead of the half, 23-7, with 9:12 remaining.

However, Evansville came storming back in the final minutes of the half, going on a 10-1 run to cut the deficit to four points on Ellerson’s three-pointer with 1:26 to go. In the run, Ellerson knocked down two from beyond the arch and Ware tallied four from the charity stripe.

Bowling Green answered with five unanswered points, but Ware’s layup with 26 seconds remaining sent the squads into the locker rooms with a 36-29 score.

After Jessica Slagle’s basket to start the second half, Evansville held the Falcons scoreless for the next 3:20 minutes, forcing three turnovers. Layups by Staci Gillum and Falkenstein put the Aces within three, 38-35, at the 17:37 mark.

Bowling Green steadily built a 10-point lead, 47-37, with 12:39 remaining. Hanging in there, Evansville stayed within 10 until the Falcons went on a 10-0 run between the 7:51 mark and 4:19 mark. Back-to-back threes by Noelle Yoder and Jasmine Matthews put the dagger in, and forced the Aces to call a timeout. Danielle Havel capped the run with a layup, making it a 20-point game, 65-45, with 4:19 left.

Briyana Blair’s lay-in and three put the Aces within 13 with 2:59 to go, but that would be as close as Evansville would get.
Chrissy Steffen led BGSU with 16 points, as three Falcons reached double figures.

Bowling Green outshot the Aces, 36.9-33.3 percent from the field, also forcing the Aces into 23 turnovers with 15 steals. Evansville won the battle of the boards, 43-42.

The Aces are back in action Friday when the team travels to Orono, Maine, competing in the Dead River Company Classic. Evansville takes on Brown University of the Ivy League at 3:00 p.m. CT (4pm ET). The Aces will play either Maine or Troy University on Saturday in the consolation or championship game.