Box Score
ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The University of Evansville women’s basketball trailed the whole way Thursday evening in the first round of the 2011 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. The No. 8 seeded Bradley Braves topped the No. 9 Aces, 64-47. Evansville finished the season with an 8-22 overall record and 3-1 5 mark in the MVC.
The Aces shot 30.2 percent (13-for-43) from the floor and 29.4 percent (5-for-17) from three-point range, while Bradley made 43.1 percent (25-for-58) from the field and 21.4 percent from behind the arc (3-for-14).
The Braves outrebounded the Aces 45-24, scoring 14 points on second chances and 42 points in the paint, compared to UE’s four on second chances and 12 in the paint. Both squads recorded over 20 turnovers, UE with 26 and BU with 27.
In the first half, the Braves accelerated out to a 6-0 lead, but Bamberger drained a three and
Meagan Collins scored a basket followed by a free throw by
Samantha Heck to make the score 8-6. However Bradley’s full court defense proved troublesome for the Aces as the Braves went on a 14-4 run to take a 22-10 lead with 10:46 to go.
Bradley widened the gap to 16 points with 7:04 left, but the Aces picked up the intensity led by Staci Gillum. Gillum scored the Aces’ next eight points to put UE within 10 with just over four minutes left. UE forced Bradley to commit seven turnovers in the remaining time and Blair’s two free throws cut BU’s halftime lead to five, 35-30.
Out of the break, Bamberger drained a three, making it a one possession game, but Bradley sped away again, taking a 46-35 lead with 12:34 to go. The Braves gradually built up to a 14 point lead, but Evansville battled back.
UE cut the deficit to nine on Bamberger’s jumper with 3:58 to go, but that was as close as they would get as BU knocked down its free throws in the final minutes to take as much as a 17 point advantage.
The Aces lose only Stephanie Bamberger to graduation. The rest of the young squad is expected to return next season.
