Box Score EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Battling back from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter, the University of Evansville women's basketball team's comeback came up just short in a 76-69 loss to Indiana State on Friday evening inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse.
Recording her fifth double-double of the season, senior Kerri Gasper led the Aces with 19 points, tying a career-high with 12 rebounds, going 7-11 from the field in 36 minutes of action. Also finishing in double-figures for Evansville, seniors Brooke Bishop and Marley Miller both scored 14 points with the duo each hitting a pair of three-pointers. The Sycamores were led by Ty Battle, who finished with 19 points and six rebounds, while Tamara Lee added 18 points.
Both teams shot above 50% from the field with the Aces owning a 51.1% (24-47) edge over Indiana State's 50% (26-52) from the field. The shooting performance for Evansville marked the first time the Aces shot 50%-or-better from the field since hitting 56.5% of its shots against Morehead State on Dec. 10, 2017.
Opening the game, Indiana State jumped out to a 5-0 lead before the Aces responded with a 5-0 run to tie the game. Following Evansville's run, the Sycamores produced a run of their own, sprinting out on an 8-0 spree to open a 13-5 lead with 3:40 left in the first quarter. To close the period, the Sycamores increased their lead to 10, taking a 22-12 lead after the opening quarter. The Aces cut within five midway through the second quarter on a triple by sophomore Kayla Casteel, but Indiana State pushed its lead back to 12 with 2:22 remaining before the half. After a Gasper layup trimmed the Sycamores advantage back to 10 with 2:01 left in the quarter, both sides went the final two minutes without scoring as Indiana State's lead was 10 at 40-30 at the break.
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Box Score (PDF)
The third quarter was marked by Indiana State pushing its lead higher, building a 59-39 advantage with 3:36 remaining in the third quarter. Evansville would find an answer late in the quarter, making a push back at the Sycamores, cutting the Aces' deficit to just 10 at 61-51 heading into the fourth quarter. Much like the third period, Indiana State increased its lead in the early portions of the fourth, gaining a 14-point advantage with 5:22 left in the contest. Slowly trimming into the lead, the Aces got within four with 1:16 remaining on the clock on a layup by Gasper. After the Sycamores split a pair of free throws, Evansville did the same just four seconds later, to maintain its deficit at four. Evansville forced a turnover and out of a timeout, freshman Anna Newman was fouled and went to the line, hitting one of her two attempts, and making it a one-possession game with 22 seconds left. Following an Aces' foul, Indiana State hit both free throws, building its lead back to five. Looking to trim its deficit further, Evansville had a three-pointer just miss and Indiana State made two more free throws to secure the 76-69 win for the Sycamores.
The Aces are away from competition for the next week before traveling to central Illinois for a pair of games, beginning with a matchup with Illinois State at 7:00 p.m. on February 8 in Normal, Ill.
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