Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Playing in the last non-conference home contest of the season, the University of Evansville women’s basketball team certainly brought its best game, recording season highs in points, rebounds, field goals, field goal percentage, three-pointers made, assists, and steals in the 78-48 victory over Murray State Saturday afternoon at the Ford Center. Both squads now own a 3-6 record on the season.

The Purple Aces avenged their season-opening 15-point loss (76-61) to the Racers, by logging their largest win since Evansville beat Southern Illinois last season by a 34-point margin (79-45).

Senior Briyana Blair led all scorers with a season-high 20 points and also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, six assists, and eight steals. Juniors Samantha Heck (15 points, 6 rebounds) and Meagan Collins (11 points, 7 rebounds) also had solid games, as three Aces reached double figures. Returning for her first game since suffering a concussion on Nov. 29, senior Chelsea Falkenstein bounced back with vigor, notching eight points and eight rebounds. Also with a steady performance, junior Taylor Ware finished with eight points and four boards.

Newcomers Kat Taylor and Juliann Miller both had career games, equally tallying six points.

Things looked grim to start the game as Murray State jumped out to a 7-0 lead, forcing Coach Oties Epps to call a timeout. However, the Aces tied it up after the refocusing session and took the lead, 9-7, on a three-pointer by Falkenstein, back-to-back layups by Blair, and layin for Heck.

Foul shots at the 16:06 mark tied the score for the last time, as the Aces accelerated to a double-digit lead, going on a 12-0 run. Evansville turned the Racers’ full-court pressure into fast break points with throw-aheads and good ball movement around the basket, scoring 16 points in the first half off the break and 24 points in the paint.

The Aces steadily built an 18-point lead, 41-23, at the half, on a season-high 50.0 percent shooting from the floor.

Out of the intermission, Evansville did not let up, building a lead into the 20-point range at the 15:18 mark on Collins’ two free throws. Murray State’s Mariah Robinson’s three at the 9:46 mark was the last field goal the Racers would hit until Robinson knocked down another trey with 2:47 left in the game, as Evansville went on an 18-1 run to take a dominating 35-point advantage.

The Aces finished shooting a season-high 44.8 percent from the floor, and 36.8 percent from three. UE also won the battle of the boards with a +13 margin and season-best 49 rebounds. UE's 17 steals and 21 assists marked team season-highs as well.

In addition, Evansville held the Racers to 30.6 percent shooting and limited Erica Burgess (15.8 ppg), Murray State’s leading scorer on the season to just four points. Robinson led the squad with 18 points in the contest.

The Aces are back in action Friday, traveling to take on another Ohio Valley Conference team, UT-Martin at 7:00 p.m. CT. Evansville closes out the non-conference schedule Monday, Dec. 19 at Mizzou, marking UE’s last game before the holiday hiatus.