Ending its three-game homestead with a hard-fought victory, the USI women’s basketball team hosted Northern Kentucky University Saturday in Liberty Arena.
Bringing the energy early in the game, Vanessa Shafford, senior guard, hit a three and went two for two on the line. Shafford led Southern Indiana with 24 points for the night. Defensively, Shafford stole the ball, which led to a layup from Amiyah Buchanan, sophomore forward, putting USI up 7-2.
Then, USI found itself on the losing end when NKU’s Jaci Jones, graduate guard, made one beyond the arc roughly halfway through the first quarter, bringing the score to 8-7. Subsequently, nearly two minutes passed before someone would score, but luckily for the Screaming Eagles, it was Shafford who broke the silence with a layup.
USI maintained its lead to end the first quarter, 16-11.
NKU’s Halle Idowu, graduate guard/forward, racked up a quick two in the paint, making it a one-possession game two minutes into the second quarter. Ali Saunders, USI junior guard, responded with the Screaming Eagles’ following five points, creating some leeway 26-16. Idowu again succeeded with a jump shot, putting the Vikings within five with 3:21 remaining. However, to wrap up the first half, USI’s Chloe Gannon, sophomore forward/center, headed to the free throw line, making both. This put USI up by eight heading into halftime.
USI brought defensive pressure out of the locker room, which led to offensive opportunities.
Meredith Raley, graduate forward, and Shafford scored seven points apiece, helping USI gain a 19-point lead with 3:18 left. Before the buzzer, NKU attempted a three, but it was no good, making the score at the end of the third quarter 59-43.
Into the fourth quarter, Northern Kentucky University would not give up. Slowly but surely, the nearly 20-point lead dwindled. The Vikings went on a nine-point run, which started with seven minutes remaining. Four of those nine points came from two back-to-back layups by Kamora Morgan, freshman guard. Morgan was an offensive force to be reckoned with, as she put up 21 for the night, leading her team.
However, late in the game, heroics from Madi Webb, senior forward, scored a clutch-and-one layup, keeping USI’s offense afloat and bringing the lead to six. NKU responded with a three-pointer and found itself down by one in under 30 seconds — 72-71. NKU was forced to foul with limited time left. The rest of USI’s points came from free throws by Saunders and Raley.
Northern Kentucky University saw many scoring opportunities to take the lead, with USI even fouling on a three-point attempt — the last thing the Screaming Eagles needed. However, the Vikings missed all three; perhaps some luck was on the Screaming Eagles’ side. Nonetheless, NKU could only finish the last few possessions, scoring one layup, which was not enough to claim victory. The final score was 75-73.
The Screaming Eagles will head to Puerto Rico to battle against Youngstown State University at 10 a.m. Friday in the Puerto Rico Clasico. The following day, they will take on Le Moyne College at 9:30 a.m.