Box Score EVANSVILLE - Opening the Missouri Valley Conference weekend, the University of Evansville women's basketball team dropped an 82-35 decision to preseason conference favorite Missouri State on Thursday evening inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse in Evansville.

Senior Myia Clark and junior A'Niah Griffin led the way for the Aces with nine points each. Clark did most of her damage at the free throw line, knocking-down seven of eight attempts at the charity stripe, while Griffin hit four field goals in under 16 minute to tally her scoring. Cleaning the glass, junior Abby Feit finished with a game-high 13 boards, her third 13+ rebound performance of the season. The Lady Bears were led by Abigayle Jackson, who scored a game-best 25 points on 10-15 shooting from the field.

A quick start from the Lady Bears opened na 18-2 advantage before the Aces offense could get into gear. Missouri State shot 55% (11-20) in the opening stanza, including a pair of triples, but Evansville was able to keep the deficit at 16 at 26-10 heading into the second quarter.

In the second period, the Lady Bears could not quite get the breakaway they did in the first quarter, earning a 16-10 advantage in the frame. Evansville was able to settle in defensively, holding MSU to 40% from the field, but it was the Aces whose shooting numbers declined in the second period, leading to a 42-20 lead for the Lady Bears at the break.

A continued hot streak for MSU offensively and cold-shooting from the Aces combined with an amount of turnovers unlike Evansville this season, led to an increase in Missouri State's advantage in the second half as the Lady Bears captured an 82-35 win.

The Aces close the weekend with a home matchup against Southern Illinois on Saturday afternoon at 1 PM inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse in Evansville.
 

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