EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The University of Evansville women's basketball team hits the road for two of their last three away games of the 2024-25 season.
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The Purple Aces had only seven active players in their game on Saturday against the Illinois State Redbirds. UE kept things close through the first half with the Redbirds. But fatigue set in during the second half as Illinois State was able to pull away for a 20 point win. Evansville had a better result on Thursday night, returning to the win column with a 10-point victory over Bradley. The Aces almost had their first road win in Peoria to start 2025, but came just a basket short in the 45-43 loss. UE was able to have their revenge at home last week with a 55-45 win for a second Valley win.
Evansville will try to get it's first road win of the season at either Valparaiso or UIC this weekend. The Aces dropped both home games against the Beacons and the Flames at the beginning of the month with the Valpo game being the closer of the two for UE. Facing the Beacons on Friday after playing just over two weeks ago Evansville will look to improve on its 12-point loss in Meeks Family Fieldhouse.
After winning against the Aces in Evansville, Valparaiso struggled against two of the league leaders at home with losses to Belmont and Murray State. The Beacons got back in the win column with a home game against UIC before struggling in Springfield against Missouri State on Sunday. After sweeping the road trip to Indiana State and Evansville earlier this season, Valpo is trying to claim the unofficial Hoosier State crown among the Valley's three Indiana-based schools with two wins this weekend. The Beacons are led by graduate forward Leah Earnest who became the third player in program history to hit 1,500 career points and is one of five active MVC player with 1,500 career points.
The Flames are coming off a win on the road after beating Southern Illinois 62-46 bout at the Banterra Center in Carbondale. UIC currently sits at .500 in Valley play with a 7-7 MVC record while being just under .500 overall at 10-13. The Flames will take on Indiana State on Friday before welcoming UE to Credit Union 1 Arena. Along with a big win over the Salukis, third-year head coach Ashleen Bracey secured her third consecutive double-digit win season, a feat that hadn't been accomplished since former head coach Lisa Ryckbosch (2002-11).
The Aces set a season high on Thursday night in turnovers forced against an opponent. UE made the Braves turn the ball over 27 times in 40 minutes. The 27 turnovers was just one more than Evansville's previous high of the season, 26 turnovers against IU Columbus on December 17. With the season high in forced turnovers multiple Aces set met or set new career-highs for steals in a game. Sophomore forward Maggie Hartwig (Sauk City, Wis. / Sauk Prairie HS) had a new career-high in takeaways with five steals. While guard Avery Kelley (Evansville, Ind. / Memorial HS), forward Tamesha Dozier (Louisville, Ky. / Wabash Valley), guard Logan Luebbers Palmer (Union, Ky. / Randall K. Cooper HS), and guard Júlia Palomo (La Seu d'Urgell, Spain)Â all hit their season high in steals.Â
It was a big week for Palmer as she earned her first weekly conference recognition as the MVC Freshman of the Week. She set a new career scoring high against Illinois State with 17 points to lead UE in the loss. Palmer also set a career high in made field goals against Bradley that she matched in the game against the Redbirds with 6 made field goals. Last week Palmer averaged 15.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 32 minutes of action.
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