CHICAGO, Ill. - Closing-out the weekend, the University of Evansville women's basketball team battled toe-to-toe with UIC before falling late, 57-53, on Saturday afternoon in Chicago, Ill.

For the second-straight game, senior guard.forward Abby Feit led the Aces offense, tallying a team-best 19 points to go along with five rebounds and three blocks. Two other starters finished in double-figures with fifth-year guard A'Niah Griffin and graduate guard Anna Newman each recording 10 points in the game. The Flames were powered by forward Josie Filer, who finished with a game-high 20 points and 10 boards.

Evansville was hampered early by foul trouble as redshirt junior center Barbora Tomancova picked-up a pair of fouls inside the first seven minutes of the contest. In her place, fellow center Celine Dupont gathered eight rebounds on the day, playing 18 minutes, including many early on. The Flames build a six-point lead at 10-4, but Evansville fought back to stay within four following the first quarter.

The lead reached as large as seven for UIC in the second quarter, but Evansville mustered another push. The Aces responded with a 7-0 run featuring a three from Newman and four-straight points to tie the game at 21. Just 90 seconds later, UE took the lead on a jumper by Griffin that lifted the Aces in front, 23-22. A small 5-2 run from UIC to close the half would regain the lead for the Flames at the break, 27-25.

Coming out of the half, Evansville quickly took control of the game. The Aces scored six of the first seven points of the second half, sparked a three-pointer from Tomancova that game UE what would be its largest lead of the night at 31-28. A back-and-forth contest continued with the Flames answering the Aces with a three of their own to tie the game again at 31. Following the Aces three-point lead, UIC would catch fire and go on a 15-3 run, securing a 10-point lead with under two minutes left in the third frame. Again, Evansville would not let the UIC run grow any further, cutting its deficit in half to 44-39 heading into the fourth.

Evansville quickly got within three to start the final quarter, but each attempt by the Aces to close in any further was answered by a Flames basket. UE gave itself one last chance late as a layup from Griffin made it a one possession game with 1:12 left, but the Aces could not knock down a pair of attempts in the game's final 30 seconds as UIC held on for the 57-53 win.

The Aces will host an "orange out" as Evansville returns home for a Wednesday night matchup with Indiana State beginning at 6 PM inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse. The first 500 fans at Wednesday game will receive a free orange pom-pom to cheer on the Aces.
 

• INFO: For all of the latest information on University of Evansville athletics, log on to the sport page on GoPurpleAces.com or follow the program on Twitter via @UEAthletics.

 

• TICKETS: To purchase tickets for University of Evansville athletics events, log on to GoPurpleAces.com and click on the TICKETS tab on top of the page

 

• SUPPORT: For information on giving to UE Athletics or its individual athletics programs, visit the SUPPORT tab on the top of GoPurpleAces.com.