EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The University of Evansville women's basketball team fell in its first game of the week to the Murray State Racers 88-60.
The Purple Aces kept the game close in the first half on Thursday night. But players in foul trouble during the third quarter kept UE behind Murray State in the loss. Evansville did have three players with double digit performances led by freshman Camryn Runner (Cicero, Ind. / Hamilton Heights HS) with 18 points.
"It was a weird game," said Head Coach Robyn Scherr afterwards. "It was really tough to have all of our post players in foul trouble. Despite that I thought we had some really good moments. Unfortunately, the final score doesn't really show what the game really was.
"We had a great third quarter from our kid, put up a ton of points, played really well. Gave up a run to start the fourth quarter and unfortunately that was the game. And we had to finish out with four healthy players and one very injured player out there with no post players. Sometimes that's what happens and that was the hand that we were dealt. Overall, I'm really really proud of our team for how we competed today."
It was a quick back-and-forth pace early in Meeks Family Fieldhouse as the teams traded point for point. The Aces took a brief one-point lead three minutes into the game on a layup made by sophomore forward Maggie Hartwig (Sauk City, Wis. / Sauk Prairie HS). Murray State responded with its first run of the game scoring seven straight points to retake the lead. A jumper in the paint for Runner broke the run and stalled the Racer offense. Neither team scored over the next two minutes as UE made it a one-point game. Murray State was held scoreless by Evansville's offense for over three and a half minutes. The teams traded free throw attempts to end the quarter as the Aces trailed by three.
The Racers began the second quarter on a nine-point run to pull away on a 12-point lead. UE had a three-point play after an early timeout but didn't put together a run longer than four points through the second. Evansville didn't score for the final two minutes of the first half and headed into the locker room down 41-26.
The Aces offense regrouped midway through the third quarter with a seven-point run to get back within 11 points after forward Tamesha Dozier (Louisville, Ky. / Wabash Valley) fouled out of the game at 7:15. The teams matched each other shot for shot until Murray State had another brief run. Runner was able to end the streak with a made three pointer with 2:08 left in the third quarter. The third ended with the teams trading free throw attempts as it was a 62-49 game going into the final 10 minutes.
Murray State was able to fully pull away from UE in the fourth quarter with a 17-2 run over five minutes. The Racers run ended when Hartwig was able to make a layup with three minutes to go. But Hartwig was called for her fifth foul only 30 seconds later, making her Evansville's third and final post player to foul out of the game. With only five active players left, the Aces went back and forth with Murray's bench for the final two minutes of the game, falling to the Racers 88-60.
Three UE players finished the night with double figures as Runner led with 18, Hartwig had 14 before fouling out, and freshman guard Logan Luebbers Palmer (Union, Ky. / Randall K. Cooper HS) added 12 points. Hartwig led the team in rebounds with five boards while Runner and senior guard Júlia Palomo (La Seu d'Urgell, Spain) had four each. Palomo led the team in takeaways with two steals while also helping on four baskets in a career-high 40-minute performance.
Evansville closes out the regular season with a midday matchup on Saturday. The Aces welcome the Belmont Bruins for their final game in Meeks Family Fieldhouse. UE will be celebrating its four senior players on Saturday afternoon. While tip-off for Saturday's game is set for 2 p.m.
