Box Score
Updated Season Stats

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- In the first round of the Aces Winter Classic the University of Evansville women's basketball team overcame Eastern Kentucky, 63-56, Friday night at the Ford Center. With the victory, the Aces advance to the championship and will take on Marshall University Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Marshall topped Chicago State, 72-48, earlier in the evening.

Senior Briyana Blair led the Purple Aces with her second double-double of the season, logging 17 points and 10 rebounds, as four UE players reached double figures. Sophomore Katie Ellerson scored a career-high 15 points, while juniors Meagan Collins added 12 points and Samantha Heck 11 points and nine rebounds. 

Evansville pounced onto the scoreboard, taking a 4-0 lead after Blair’s layup on the left block from a high-low look and Heck’s basket on a throw-ahead from senior Staci Gillum. The Aces went up by as much as five points before the tides turned and Eastern Kentucky went on a 12-0 run to take a 14-7 lead with 12:21 remaining in the half.

UE rallied, however, to tie it up, 14 all, with their own 7-0 run. In the seesawing first half, there were two lead changes and four times the score was even, including at the 4:59 mark (19-19), 3:56 mark (21-21) and at the half when EKU’s Marie Capenter hit a jumper at the buzzer to send the teams into the break tied, 25-25.

Evansville pressed the accelerator down out of the break, as Heck knocked down a three and then laid the ball in on a touch-pass from Blair to take a 32-27 lead two minutes into the period. The Aces went on to build as much as an 11-point lead with 8:50 remaining on Collins’ pair of free throws.

UE wasn’t safe yet, as the Colonels threatened in the final 10 minutes. EKU went on an 11-2 run to cut the deficit to two, 54-52, with 5:11 remaining.

However, the Aces held their composure and never lost their lead, crashing the boards and forcing the Colonels to put them at the line. Blair recorded six rebounds in the final five minutes of play.

In the game, Evansville shot 40.4 percent from the field, compared to EKU’s 33.8 percent.

Carpenter led all scorers with 22 points on the night, while Alex Jones also reached double figures for the Colonels with 12 points.

Tonight’s win marked Evansville’s first regular season victory under the Ford Center roof.