Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Despite Evansville rallying from a 10-point deficit in the first half to trail by just one, 33-32, at halftime, the hosting Missouri State Lady Bears used an 8-0 run to start the second period to widen the gap and overcame the University of Evansville women’s basketball team, 76-62, Friday night at JQH Arena.

The Aces are now 5-20 overall and 2-12 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while Missouri State improved to 17-6 on the season and 10-3 in the MVC.

Four Aces reached double figures, led by junior Samantha Heck’s 18 points and seven rebounds. Junior Meagan Collins tallied 16 points and five boards, followed by senior Briyana Blair’s 11 points, eight rebounds, and six steals. Sophomore Miranda Liles finished with 10 points and four rebounds.

Evansville scored first with Liles finishing a high-low feed from Heck, but the Lady Bears answered right back with four straight points. In the half that consisted of three even scores and five lead changes, the Aces tied it up, 4-4, following Heck’s lay-in. After trading leads four more times, Missouri State used a 13-2 run, including eight straight points to take a 10-point lead, 24-14, on a three by Casey Garrison at the 7:43 mark.

However, the Aces hung around when both squads got hot from behind the arc. The teams traded five consecutive threes, starting with two each by Heck and MSU’s Jaleshia Roberson. Collins’ trey gave UE the last word, and cut the deficit to five, 30-25, with 5:09 remaining in the half.

Scoring seven of the last eight points of the period, UE cut the margin to one at the half. Blair sparked the charge with a layup, followed by Heck’s completed “and-one” play to make it 30-32 with 1:51 to go. After an MSU free throw, Collins knocked down a jumper to send the squads into the break, 33-32.

The Lady Bears accelerated out of the break, with eight unanswered points and outscored UE, 29-14, to take an 18-point lead, 62-44, with 8:21 remaining. MSU stretched the lead to as much as 19 points, 69-50, at the 5:05 mark following free throws by Lacey Boshe.

Evansville continued to fight, however, and cut the margin to 14 after Collins hit a jumper and three, consecutively. Four straight free throws by junior Taylor Ware, put UE within 12, 74-62, 1:03 to go, but the Lady Bears scored the final basket of the game to give MSU the 14-point win.

Evansville shot 35.5 percent (22-62) in the game, while knocking down nine from behind the arc (9-31), and made 9-of-11 from the free throw line (81.8 percent). However, the hot-shooting Lady Bears finished with a 41.4 percentage (29-70) from the field, including a 47.2 percent (17-36) performance in the second half. MSU shot 38.9 percent (7-18) from three, and 64.7 percent (11-17) from the charity stripe.

Missouri State won the battle of the boards, 47-38, including 22 offensive rebounds.

Garrison led the Lady Bears with 20 points, followed by Karly Buer’s 15 points.

The Aces are back in action Sunday when they travel to take on Wichita State. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. CT.