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Game Notes
The University of Evansville women’s basketball team hopes to snap Northern Iowa’s 12-game win-streak and even the all-time series to 19-19 Saturday at 2:00 p.m. CST at Roberts Stadium. UNI currently holds sole possession of first place in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 13-1 mark, while Evansville is in ninth place with a 3-10 mark. Here’s a brief look at Saturday’s matchup:
EVANSVILLE (8-16, 3-10 MVC) – Junior
Briyana Blair scored a team-high 15 points, all in the second half, as the Aces fell 66-59 to Bradley Thursday night. Sophomore
Samantha Heck tallied 14 points, while senior
Stephanie Bamberger added eight points and seven rebounds, playing all 40 minutes. On the season, Blair and Heck lead the squad offensively, averaging 10.6 and 10.4 points, respectively.
NORTHERN IOWA (20-5, 13-1 MVC) – The Panthers are on an incredible hot streak, winning their past 12 consecutive games. They have not lost since New Year’s Day when they fell 69-60 at Illinois State. UNI’s most recent victory was a 68-41 trounce of Southern Illinois on Thursday night. Jacqui Kalin’s 15.5 and Lizzie Boeck’s 13.8 points per game pilot the Panthers’ offense.
A UE WIN OVER UNI WOULD…
Make UE 9-16 overall ... Make UE 4-10 in the MVC ... Improve coach Misty Murphy’s record to 28-61 at UE and 136-126 overall … Make UE 442-543 all-time.
A UE LOSS TO UNI WOULD…
Make UE 8-17 … Make UE 3-11 in the MVC ... Drop coach Murphy’s record at UE to 27-62 and 135-127 overall … Make UE 441-544 all-time.
PINK OUT
Saturday is Evansville’s ninth annual Hoops For The Cure Game. All proceeds from auctioned prizes and half of the ticket sales will go to the Greater Evansville Affiliate of Susan G. Komen For The Cure. In 2008’s pink game, the Aces set an attendance record with 3,485 fans.
CLOSING TIME
The Aces only have two more home stands this season, including this week, and that means the days of playing in Roberts Stadium are ticking down. This is Evansville’s final season at Roberts Stadium. Opened in 1956 and completely renovated in 1990, the 11,600-seat facility has been the site of more than 1,000 UE basketball games. The Aces will be playing in a new $127 million arena in downtown Evansville next season. The final women’s game there will be March 5 versus Wichita State.
BLAIR IT UP
Briyana Blair led Evansville’s offensive attack against Bradley, scoring 15 second-half points. She also grabbed seven rebounds and snagged four steals. In the Aces’ 59-45 win over Southern Illinois, Blair co-led the team with 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the floor, including knocking down 2-of-3 from behind the arc. The junior also led the Aces’ effort on the glass with eight rebounds, while also tallying four steals and four assists in 27 minutes of play. Her performance last weekend earned her the honor of UE’s Vectren Student-Athlete of the Week. On the season, Blair leads the Aces averaging 10.6 points per game.
SUPER SOPHOMORES
The trio of
Samantha Heck,
Meagan Collins, and
Taylor Ware have scored 37 percent (534 points) of UE’s offense, while the four-person junior class leads the team, accounting for 40 percent (568 points).
IMPRESSIVE WINS
This season the Aces played four non-conference teams that made post-season appearances in 2010. Against those teams, Evansville won three-of-four with wins against Bowling Green (NCAA), Eastern Washington (WNIT), and Butler (WNIT). Their only loss came to Wisconsin-Green Bay (NCAA) who currently sits at 24-1 and is ranked 14th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and 17th in the AP Top 25.
LAST TIME VS. PANTHERS
The Aces struggled to keep control of the ball committing 25 turnovers, falling to the Panthers, 69-37 on Jan. 21. It also marked the only time all season that no Evansville player reached double figure points. Junior
Briyana Blair led the Aces with eight points. Sophomore
Taylor Ware tallied seven points, followed by sophomore
Meagan Collins’ five points and six rebounds.
STOP! THIEF!
The Aces lead the Valley, averaging 9.7 steals in all games and 10.5 per game against conference foes, led by
Briyana Blair’s 3.1 per game, also good for first in the MVC.
NO HARM, NO FOUL
Before Thursday’s physical game against Bradley, the Aces average just 14.0 personal fouls per game, which ranked them 14th nationally. However, after being called for 24 fouls vs. the Braves, UE now sits at 28th nationally, averaging 14.5 per game. In 21-of-24 games, Evansville has been charged with the same amount or less personal fouls than its opponent. The national leader, Wyoming, averages 11.6 personal fouls per game.
TREY BIEN
Against Southern Illinois, Evansville shot 57.1 percent from three, knocking down eight in the win. In the second half alone, UE shot 80 percent, hitting 4-of-5. Sophomore
Meagan Collins went 2-for-2 from behind the arc and now leads the conference, shooting 46.2 percent against MVC opponents from long range. Senior
Stephanie Bamberger ranks third in the MVC in conference games, shooting 41.9 percent from three.
DOUBLE THE FUN
Samantha Heck and
Meagan Collins are the only current Lady Aces with a double-double on their resumes. Heck’s first double-double (16 points, 12 rebounds) against Saint Louis on Dec. 22 marked the first by a UE player since Shannon Novosel tallied 20 points and 10 rebounds at Southern Illinois on March 7, 2009. She also recorded one vs. Illinois State on Jan. 29, with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Collins scored one of her own versus Drake (1/9/10) with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
EARLY SIGNEES
Coach Misty Murphy has announced the signing of three high school standouts to National Letters of Intent. Guards Juliann Miller (Louisville, Ky./Mercy Academy), LeiLoni Smith (Vian, Okla./Vian), and Kourtni Taylor (Akron, Ohio/Lake Ridge Academy) will make up the Lady Aces’ freshman class for the 2011-12 season.
