CHICAGO, Ill. – The University of Evansville women's basketball team opened the 2026-27 season with a 90-65 loss to DePaul on Tuesday evening.
Four Aces reached double figures, led by Mireia Mustaros with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field. Mustaros also added three assists and three rebounds. Freshmen Kelyn Johnson and Jayden Scott made their collegiate debuts, scoring 11 and 13 points, respectively. Avery Kelley added 10 points, four assists and five rebounds in her first game back after missing the majority of the 2025-26 season due to injury.
Evansville came out firing, opening the game with a 10-0 run. Kaiden Kreinhagen led the charge with five points and an assist during the opening stretch. The Aces shot 9-of-12 from the field in the first quarter, including 5-of-7 from three-point range. Johnson made an immediate impact in her collegiate debut, knocking down three triples and dishing out two assists as Evansville built a 12-point lead. The Aces carried a 23-17 lead into the second quarter.
DePaul responded in the second quarter, using a 13-0 run to take its first lead of the night. Scott found her rhythm in her collegiate debut, knocking down back-to-back jumpers to bring Evansville within three. After another Blue Demon run, a Kreinhagen layup and a Kelley three-pointer with four seconds remaining in the half cut the deficit to four at the break.
The Blue Demons opened the second half with back-to-back three-pointers before Kelley answered with a floater. DePaul followed with a 9-0 run to extend its lead to 15. Mustaros provided a spark for the Aces, converting back-to-back three-point plays for six consecutive points. However, DePaul closed the quarter with a buzzer-beating three-pointer to maintain a 15-point lead.
DePaul continued its offensive success in the fourth quarter, knocking down four of its seven attempts from beyond the arc. Evansville made just one of nine attempts from three-point range in the final quarter as the Blue Demons secured the 90-65 victory.
The Aces return to action on Saturday at Lindenwood. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. CT in St. Charles, Mo.
