Box Score TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Powered by a 34-point performance by senior Kerri Gasper including a three-pointer with 7.8 seconds left to play, the University of Evansville women's basketball team earned a 59-56 victory over Indiana State on Friday evening in Terre Haute, Ind.

Leading the Aces, Gasper set a new career-high with 34 points and became just the fourth Ace in program history to score 34-or-more points. Gasper scored 20 of her 34 points in the opening half and shot a scorching 6-7 from beyond the arc to pace the Aces, while playing all 40 minutes. Also finishing in double-figures for Evansville, senior Marley Miller tallied 11 points, playing 40 minutes alongside Gasper. For the Sycamores, Tamara Lee and Ashli O'Neal each led Indiana State with 14 points.

Opening the game, the Aces and Sycamores both battled turnovers as the two sides combined for five turnovers early on. Indiana State jumped out to a 15-5 lead with 3:04 left in the first quarter on a layup by Ashli O'Neal, eventually building its advantage as large as 11 in the opening period. In the final seconds of the first quarter, Evansville cut its deficit to single-digits as Gasper banked in a three with five seconds left to trim the Sycamores' lead to 22-15. After scoring eight points in the first quarter, Gasper caught fire in the second period, scoring 12 points. A key stretch for the Aces occurred with just under eight minutes left in the second quarter. The Aces moved within three at 23-20, but Indiana State went on a 6-0 run to push out to a nine-point lead. Over the next two possessions, Gasper stepped up and hit a pair of triples to bring Evansville back within three and force an Indiana State timeout with 5:45 left in the second quarter. Facing adversity, the Aces saw Indiana State score five-straight points to take a 34-26 lead, but Evansville closed the half with an and-one from Gasper to trim its deficit to 34-29 at the break.
  Box Score (PDF)
In the third quarter, Evansville kept pace with Indiana State for much of the period. The Aces clsoed their gap late in the quarter, getting to within one on a three-pointer by Miller with 2:11 remaining in the third period. Miller's triple ignited a 7-0 Evansville run to close the quarter as the Aces held a 48-45 advantage after three quarters.To open the fourth quarter, Gasper hit a three-pointer just 11 seconds in that doubled Evansville's lead to six at 51-45. Offense was tough to come by in the fourth quarter, but the Sycamores made a late run, trimming the Aces' lead to just one with 1:24 left to play. Indiana State forced an Evansville turnover and was fouled, sending the Sycamores to the line for a pair of free throws with 48 seconds remaining. At the line, the Sycamores split a pair, to tie the game at 56 all, and gained the offensive rebound on the missed free throw. Indiana State had possession with a chance to go in front, but the Sycamores turned the ball over after an illegal screen. Holding possession with a five second differential between the game clock and shot clock, the Aces were forced into two timeouts due to Indiana State's defensive pressure. In-bounding with 14 seconds left, the ball eventually found the hands of Gasper, who hit her sixth and final three of the game with 7.8 seconds remaining to give Evansville a three-point advantage. Following an Indiana State timeout that advanced the ball to half court, the Sycamores had one last look to try and tie the contest, but the last second three was off the mark as the Aces secured the 59-56 win.

Evansville has six days off from competition as the Aces return home to welcome in Missouri State to Meeks Family Fieldhouse at 6:00 p.m. on March 6.
 

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