TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The University of Evansville women's basketball team came a basket shy of picking up its second road Missouri Valley Conference win at Indiana State.
The Purple Aces kept the Sycamores on their toes through 40 minutes but didn't make their last shot in the 69-66 loss. UE had a strong game on defense, outrebounding Indiana State 42 to 38 and defending the arc to the tune of only 18.2%. Evansville's post players led the way again as forward Maggie Hartwig had another 22-point game while forward Nevaeh Thomas had her fourth double-double of the season.
It was a quick start early for both teams, but the Aces took a 5-2 lead as guard Julia Palomo made the first three of the game. UE didn't hold onto the lead for long as it was traded between the two teams four times in the first five minutes. Following the media timeout, neither team could find a basket on the floor as the game remained 8-7 Sycamores for three minutes. Evansville was able to keep it close under the glass, tying the game on a three-point play from Thomas with two minutes remaining. Indiana State was back in front briefly but layups from Palomo and Hartwig had the Aces up by two after one.
UE's offense was quiet in the second quarter, with only 13 points through 10 minutes of play. Evansville's first points of the quarter came from Thomas in the paint over two minutes in and would be one of only two baskets made in the first five minutes. The Aces' other nine points of the quarter came during two minutes following a timeout. UE couldn't make another shot in the final two minutes as the Sycamores ended the half on an eight-point run for an 11-point deficit.
Evansville had a quick turnaround to start the second half, keeping Indiana State scoreless for the first three minutes while adding five points. The Aces were five of eight from the floor in the first six minutes of the third quarter, including three straight buckets right after the 5:30 mark. It returned to a back-and-forth pace for the rest of the quarter as neither team strung together a run in the back half of the third. But UE got within five points in the final seconds of the quarter with two free throws from guard Tené Smith.
It was a hot start to the fourth for Evansville as the team had its best offensive quarter of the game, shooting 46.7% from the floor and 50% behind the arc. Hartwig connected on back-to-back threes in the first minute and a half to make it a one-possession game early. The Aces tied the game for the first time since the second quarter with six minutes to go as Thomas put together five straight points on an and-1 along with two made free throws.
Only 20 seconds later, Hartwig made a three-point play of her own for UE's first lead of the second half. But the Sycamores responded with a seven-point run after a timeout to retake the lead. Two layups from Hartwig and guard Lexie Sinclair put Evansville back within two points, but the Aces' offense went cold for over two minutes as Indiana State had a four-point lead. With only nine seconds on the clock, Sinclair drilled a three from the top of the arc to make it a one-point game. UE quickly fouled on the next possession, putting a Sycamore at the line for two. Evansville went back to Sinclair for the last shot setting up a three to send the game into overtime. But the shot from the left wing bounced off the far side of the rim and out as the Aces fell to Indiana State 69-66.
Along with Hartwig and Thomas, Sinclair had a double-figure performance with 13 points. Thomas led UE on defense with 13 rebounds while guard Kynidi Mason Striverson had two steals. Mason Striverson and Hartwig led Evansville in assists with five each while Sinclair added four.
The Aces get two days off before the next game of their four-game road stretch. UE heads to Normal for its lone matchup with the Illinois State Redbirds on Sunday, Feb. 25. Tip-off for Evansville from CEFCU Arena is set for 2 p.m.
