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CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Evansville women's basketball team used a strong second-half defensive effort to earn its first road win of the year, as the Purple Aces topped host Austin Peay, 65-50, Saturday night at the Dunn Center in Clarksville, Tenn., marking UE's first-ever win in eight tries in Clarksville.
 
Junior Mallory Ladd posted her third-straight double-double for Evansville (3-3), scoring 17 points on a 7-for-12 shooting effort, and grabbing 10 rebounds.  Freshman  finished in double figures with 19 points, going 9-for-24 from the floor, while freshman Dakota Weatherford added nine points and was one of four Aces to registered three or more assists.  Off the bench, freshman Kenzie Gustin scored a career-high eight points and senior Katie Ellerson pulled down a career-high nine boards.
 
Austin Peay (2-3) used an early scoring run to take a 15-6 lead just over seven minutes into the game, as Kristen Stainback hit the Lady Govs' lone three-pointer at the 13:54 mark and Tearra Banks made a layup on APSU's next possession to cap a 9-0 run.
 
Evansville slowly began to chip away at Austin Peay's advantage, pulling within three on a Gustin triple from the right wing at the 8:37 mark in the opening stanza, before cutting the lead to just one at 24-23, when Weatherford hit a step-back three just under three minutes later.
 
Ladd tied the game at 26-26 on a three of her own from the right wing with 4:18 remaining in the half, before the Aces grabbed their first lead, 28-26, on a driving layup by junior Kat Taylor off of a feed from Ladd.
 
UE's defense clamped down over the final 4:32, as Evansville limited the Lady Govs to just one made field goal over that span and took a 32-28 lead into the locker room.
 
APSU quickly tied the game early in the second half on back-to-back jumpers by Alexis Hardaway and Tiasha Gray with 19:17 to play, before the Aces' defense once again stood firm and aided a 6-0 run that allowed UE to grab a 38-32 advantage on a layup by Ladd at the 16:10 mark.
 
Evansville slowly began to pull away and took its first double-digit lead, 49-39, with 11:55 to play, when Ladd connected on a three from the left wing.
 
The Aces continued to apply defensive pressure and Weatherford was able to turn a steal into a layup on the opposite end of the floor to give UE a 57-44 lead and force an Austin Peay timeout with 6:28 remaining.
 
Jacey Scott ended an over six-minute scoring drought for the Lady Govs with a layup at the 4:22 mark to cut Evansville's lead to 59-46, but the Aces were able to hold APSU to just four points over the remainder of the contest to seal their second-straight win.
 
UE held Austin Peay to a 30.0 percent shooting percentage (9-for-30) in the second half, and limited the Lady Govs to a 1-for-9 effort from long range over the course of the entire game.
 
Evansville outrebounded APSU, 43-41, and posted a slim, 34-33, advantage in the paint.  The Aces were able to turn 15 Austin Peay turnovers into 15 points and tallied 19 assists on 27 made baskets.
 
Gray led the Lady Govs with 14 points, going 7-for-15 from field, and eight rebounds, and was the only APSU player to reach double figures.  Banks added nine points and Hardaway finished with seven points and six boards.
 
The Aces will be looking for their third-consecutive victory Monday night, when they travel to Martin, Tenn., to take on UT Martin at 5:30 p.m.