SUNDAY'S SCORES
@Dayton 91,
Lindenwood 73
@SIUE 91, Evansville 83
@Southern Indiana 86, Oakland City 38
@UNC Asheville 53,
Tennessee State 38
@Western Illinois 95, Northern Illinois 62
@Alabama 85,
Morehead State 44
@Eastern Illinois 75, Valparaiso 62
DAYTON 91, LINDENWOOD 73
DAYTON, OHIO - The Lindenwood women's basketball team (0-2, 0-0 OVC) fell to Dayton (1-1, 0-0 A10) by a score of 91-73 on Sunday afternoon in Dayton, Ohio.
Dayton jumped out to a 14-3 lead midway through the first quarter. Lindenwood settled in with the help of Makayla Wallace who scored four of the next six points, as the Lions cut the deficit to six at 15-9. Lindenwood finished the quarter, making its last three shots from the field but trailed 23-14 after 10 minutes.
Mary McGrath and Kaylen Evans each nailed three pointers to begin the second quarter, which cut the Dayton lead to three. The Flyers would respond, going on an 8-0 run to extend their lead back to 31-20. The comfortable advantage would be maintained throughout the middle frame with the Flyers leading 47-34 at the break. Wallace and Ellie Brueggemann led the Lions with six points each at the break.
Dayton continues to extend its lead in the third quarter, outscoring Lindenwood 22-14. Brueggemann continued to be a bright spot in the game, adding nine points in the frame, including a pair of threes. The freshman had a game-high 15 points after 30 minutes of play. Lindenwood trailed 69-48 at the end of three.
Lindenwood came out with an attacking mentality in the fourth quarter, getting to the line 21 times. The Lions made 13 of them. Alyssa Nielsen and Mykayla Cunningham each had seven points in the period, tops among Lindenwood players. Jannaeleigh Cooper filled the stat sheet in the fourth, compiling five points and four rebounds in just seven minutes. Although the Lions outscored the Flyers in the final quarter, it wasn't enough as Dayton picked up the 91-73 win.
SIUE 91, EVANSVILLE 83
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Graduate guard KK Rodriguez paced the Cougars offensively and defensively, scoring a career-high 33 points while grabbing a career-best 14 rebounds as SIUE downed Evansville, 91-83 on Sunday afternoon inside First Community Arena. Rodriguez's double-double marked the first of her collegiate career.
With the win, SIUE captured its first of the season, improving to 1-2. Evansville falls to 0-2.
Rodriguez concluded the contest 11-21 from the field, 1-4 from three-point range, and 10-10 at the free throw line.
Rodriguez tied a career-high in the opening half with seven rebounds before adding eight more in the second half of play, pushing the Cougars to a nine-point lead entering the locker room.
As a team, SIUE opened the first half shooting 49 percent (21-43) while going 4-11 from long range.
Leading by eight entering the final quarter, Evansville's offense found its stoke and took the lead by a point with just over eight minutes remaining. However, SIUE regrouped and would take an eight-point lead with 2:22 to play, sealing the contest and putting pressure on the Aces.
SIUE finished the game shooting 46 percent (33-72) from the floor while going an impressive 20-23 at the free throw line.
Brianna Wooldridge grabbed seven rebounds in just 13 minutes of play, three of which came on the offensive end. As a team, the Cougars were dominate on the glass, outrebounding Evansville, 51-33 and 16-8 offensively.
Freshman Ava Stoller added 14 points for the Cougars, her third consecutive game in double-figures. The guard shot 5-9 from the field and 4-6 at the free throw line while leading the team with five assists. Sophomore Macy Silvey also collected 14 points, shooting 5-14 from the floor and 2-6 from deep. She also added five rebounds, marking her third consecutive game with five boards.
Defensively, Olivia Clayton led SIUE with three blocks while Halle Smith contributed two. Smith also led the team with three steals.
Evansville was led by Kynidi Mason Striverson's 24 points and nine assists.
SOUTHERN INDIANA 86, OAKLAND CITY 38
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball moved to 2-0 on the young basketball season Sunday afternoon after an 86-38 win against Oakland City University at Screaming Eagles Arena. With the win, USI is off to a 2-0 start for the second straight season and is the only Ohio Valley Conference team to begin 2-0 this season.
Southern Indiana came out and running from the opening tip, as senior forward Madi Webb (Bedford, Indiana) got USI on the scoreboard with a transition layup. Over the course of the early portion of the first period, the Eagles kept pushing. USI started out 4-for-4 from outside the perimeter and stretched out a 14-0 run to take a 16-3 lead by the first media timeout. Redshirt senior guard Addy Blackwell (Bloomington, Indiana) scored eight first-quarter points, connecting on two triples. USI led 24-11 after the opening quarter.
The offenses cooled off midway into the second period after an initial three-pointer from senior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) to start the second. The Eagles got a pair of baskets by freshman guard Triniti Ralston (Louisville, Kentucky) to give a spark off the bench. Then Raley found a soft spot in the middle of Oakland City's zone and knocked down a jump shot to put USI up by 20, 33-13, with 5:12 remaining until halftime.
The Screaming Eagles went into halftime leading 45-19 after finishing the second quarter on a 6-0 run and hitting five of the last six shots, including three high-percentage buckets from freshman forward Chloe Gannon (Manchester, Tennessee). Blackwell, Raley, and Gannon combined for 31 of Southern Indiana's 45 first-half points.
Both sides began the third quarter exchanging baskets. Near the seven-minute mark of the third, Blackwell drained her third trey of the game to give her 13 points and put USI ahead 57-23. The Screaming Eagles' defense was strong in the middle of the period, holding the Mighty Oaks scoreless for over four minutes. Freshman guard Sophia Loden (Mascoutah, Illinois) scored five points late in the third, getting her first minutes of the season in Sunday's game. USI led 64-32 heading to the final quarter.
In the fourth period, USI put the final stamp on the win. Webb scored five straight points for the Eagles amidst a 16-0 run for the Eagles. Southern Indiana's defense also held Oakland City scoreless for over six minutes in the latter stanza.
Just as they did in the season opener last Monday, the Screaming Eagles shot over 50 percent from the floor. USI was 34-for-62 for 54.8 percent shooting overall and shot over 47 percent (9-19) from deep. The Eagles won the rebounding battle 45-18, including 20 offensive boards. USI also dished out 20 assists. Individually, Blackwell and Raley led the way with a game-high 13 points each. Gannon added 10 points and eight rebounds on the afternoon, while Loden scored nine points with six rebounds.
Oakland City was led in scoring by senior forward Jalaya Dowell with 12 points. As a team, the Mighty Oaks shot 28.9 percent (13-45) and made three from beyond the arc.
UNC ASHVILLE 53, TENNESSEE STATE 38
ASHVILLE, N.C. - The Tennessee State women's basketball team got a 13-point performance from the bench but fell 53-38 to the UNC Asheville Bulldogs on the road Sunday.
Caitlin Anderson led the Tigers (1-2) with 12 points and five steals. Eboni Williams also added seven points and three steals and Diamond Cannon helped out with two points and two steals.
Tennessee State struggled out of the gate, falling behind 23-9 at the end of the first quarter.
UNC Asheville kept adding to that lead, building a 28-9 advantage before Tennessee State went on a 7-0 run, highlighted by a bucket from Anderson, to narrow its deficit to 28-16, a score that would hold until halftime.
UNC Asheville continued to increase its lead after halftime, building a 37-17 advantage before Tennessee State went on a 9-0 run to trim its deficit to 37-26 with 2:29 to go in the third. UNC Asheville countered and stretched its lead to 43-28 heading into the fourth. Tennessee State knocked down two three-pointers in the quarter to score six of its 12 total points.
UNC Asheville kept widening its lead in the fourth, constructing a 51-32 advantage before Tennessee State went on a 6-0 run, finished off by Williams' layup, to shrink the deficit to 51-38 with 2:19 to go in the contest. UNC Asheville responded and outscored the Tigers the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 53-38. Tennessee State took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring six of its 10 points in the paint.
WESTERN ILLINOIS 95, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 62
MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois claimed their second victory of the 2023 season in dominating fashion with a 95-62 win over in-state rival Northern Illinois. The Leathernecks move to 2-1 overall on the season.
The Leathernecks afternoon did not start picture perfect as NIU opened the game on a 7-0 run. The Leathernecks responded with a 9-2 run, tying the game with 2:37 left in the quarter. Western Illinois would take their first lead at 2:13 as Allie Meadows knocked down two free throws. Northern climbed back in front by three with 58 seconds left in the opening frame. WIU got a basket by Mallory McDermott, cutting the deficit to one. With 15 seconds on the clock, Anna Deets would pick off a Huskie pass, giving Western Illinois a chance to take the lead. Kaylen Reed would drive left and dump it off to a wide-open Deets for a buzzer-beating layup as Western Illinois took a 15-14 lead after one.
Western Illinois did not trail the rest of the way. Raegan McCowan gave WIU a nine-point lead at 23-14 as she helped the Leathernecks with a personal 6-0 run. WIU kept their foot on the gas as Kennedy Flanagan would get a bucket to go, giving WIU a 32-20 lead into the media timeout. The Leathernecks opened the second quarter on a 17-6 run in the first five minutes. The game would stabilize in the second five minutes of quarter two as McCowan would get a layup to give WIU a 43-30 lead at the half.
The second half was all Western Illinois as they outscored the Huskies 52-32 in the second half. Anna Deets pushed the lead over the 20-point mark (71-50) with one of her five threes on the night at the 39 second mark in the third quarter. WIU grew their lead to the 30-point mark on another Deets three midway through the fourth quarter. The Leathernecks would trade baskets as Lily Rangaard and Reed put the finishing touches on a 95-63 statement win.
Raegan McCowan set a new career high with 23 points on the afternoon. The freshman followed up her double-double performance with 23 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. She also led the Leathernecks, knocking down eight field goals. Anna Deets was the second-highest score for the Leathernecks. Deets knocked down five threes on her way to 21 points. Deets also grabbed seven rebounds. After going scoreless in the first two games, Kennedy Flanagan erupted for a 15-point showcase on 7-7 shooting. The senior also grabbed a pair of rebounds and dished out two assists. Addi Brownfield did it all this afternoon. She scored 12 points, brought down nine rebounds, dished out six assists, and had five steals and two blocks.
ALABAMA 85, MOREHEAD STATE 44
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Morehead State women's basketball team found the going tough at Coleman Colesium on Sunday afternoon, falling to Alabama on the road 85-44.
Veronica Charles led the Eagles (0-2) with 17 points and two steals. Jayden Rhodes tacked on eight points and Katie Novik chipped in as well with seven points and four assists.
Rhodes pulled down two offensive rebounds to lead an offense that racked up second chance opportunities for Morehead State, grabbing 11 boards and turning them into five second chance points.
The Morehead State defense was a problem in Sunday's game, forcing 18 Alabama turnovers. Those takeaways turned into 15 points on the other end of the floor. Paris McBride led the way individually for the Eagles with two steals of her own alongside Charles.
Morehead State struggled out of the gate, falling behind 18-6 at the end of the first quarter.
The Eagles continued to lose ground in the second quarter and faced a 41-11 halftime deficit.
Morehead State's deficit continued to grow after halftime, and the Eagles faced a 68-25 disadvantage heading to the fourth quarter. Morehead State knocked down two three-pointers in the quarter to score six of its 14 total points.
Alabama kept widening its lead in the fourth, constructing an 82-34 advantage before Morehead State went on a 6-0 run to shrink the deficit to 82-40 with 1:44 to go in the contest. The Eagles battled for all 40 minutes, but Alabama held on for the 85-44 win. Morehead State took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring 10 of its 19 points in the paint.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 75, VALPARAISO 62
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois women's basketball used a crucial 11-1 run early in the third quarter as the Panthers took a lead they would never relinquish to pick up a 75-62 win over Valparaiso to post their sixth straight home opening win on Sunday afternoon.
After back-to-back losses on the road to open the year, EIU fell behind early behind some good shooting by the Beacons as they shot 50 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range in the opening half.
Valpo knocked down seven first half 3-pointers to lead 34-31 at the half. They would cool off in the third quarter hitting just 2-of-8 from long range and hit just one from 3-point land in the fourth quarter.
Trailing 38-35 with 8:31 left in the third quarter, EIU started its run on a basket by Macy McGlone adding a three-point play by Miah Monahan along with a pair of 3-pointers by Ellie Buzzelle to take the lead.
Valparaiso battled back to tie the game at 51-51 with 7:24 remaining on a pair of free throws by Jill Harris. Harris finished with 12 points, one of three Valpo players in double figures.
EIU responded with a 10-0 run to put the game out of reach with big baskets by McGlone and freshman Lalani Ellis. McGlone finished with 20 while Ellis posted her second 20-plus point game this season leading all players with 22 points.
Buzzelle joined the Panthers double figure scorers with ten points.
McGlone and Ellis also tied for the team lead in rebounds with both finishing with eight as EIU won the battle on the glass by a 35-32 margin.
EIU is now 1-2 on the season. Leah Earnest had 13 points to lead the Beacons who were playing their season opener.