CHICAGO, IL. (WFIE) – A three-pointer from junior guard Alana Striverson with 1:12 left in triple overtime was the difference maker for the University of Evansville women’s basketball in its first win of the season.
The Purple Aces had five players score in double-figures with contributions up and down the bench in their 104-103 win over the Chicago State Cougars. Outrebounding the Cougars and better shooting behind the arc helped lift UE to the win in a marathon triple-overtime game. Despite fouling out before the overtime periods, sophomore point guard Kynidi Mason Striverson led Evansville on offense with 27 points and four assists on 50% shooting.
”I’m really proud of our girls for keeping their heads up and sticking with it,” said Head Coach Robyn Scherr-Wells following the win. “I think we had it won in the first overtime but a tough technical call made that a closer one. Our offense could have used that as an excuse but they kept fighting.
”We’re really banged up right now, we’re sick, we have all those things that you could use as a reason not to go out and fight and win. And we didn’t make any excuses, we went out there and got the job done. I’m really proud of our players. We got a bunch of kids that had some chance to play some extended minutes that haven’t played those types of minutes. That was really good for them. And I’m really proud of the team.”
It was a close game early as the teams’ traded shots. But the Aces pulled away with a six-point run midway through the first quarter. A layup in the final 10 seconds of the quarter from Mason Striverson gave UE a nine-point lead after 10 minutes. Evansville struggled to get much going in the second quarter with only 13 points. Three layups in the final two minutes of the first half kept the Aces on top with a six-point lead.
The start of the second half returned to the back-and-forth pace from the beginning of the game. A made and-1 from Chicago State in the third made it only a one-point game after UE led for almost 20 minutes. Evansville responded with a four-point run, including a three for Mae Dozier, to keep the lead going into the fourth quarter.
With a four-point lead the Aces kept having to keep the Cougars at bay as the lead changed for the first time since the first quarter with seven minutes left in regulation. Six straight points for UE returned them the lead for another five minutes. But two fouls and a jump shot from Chicago State had Evansville down one with only 30 seconds left. A made free throw from Mason Striverson tied the game up and would be the last basket as regulation ended with the point guard fouling out of the game.
The Aces had a hot start to overtime as freshman point guard Tené Smith broke through offensively with six straight points. Up by nine, UE’s shooting dried up for the rest of the first overtime period as the game was tied at 79 all with 36 seconds left. While the first overtime was a game of runs, the second overtime period was a basket-for-basket contest. Evansville benefited from getting to the line five times to keep the game within one possession. Down a basket with seven seconds left, forward Maggie Hartwig put up a second chance shot with two to go, forcing a third overtime.
An early three from Smith got the overtime period off to a good start for the Aces. The Cougars were able to get the game back within a point two times over the final three and a half minutes. A layup from Hartwig and a massive three-pointer from Striverson with 1:44 left in overtime were the difference. With a two-possession lead, UE was able to hold on for the final minute and a half of the game, clawing out a triple-overtime 103-102 win.
Mason Striverson, Hartwig, Striverson, Smith, and graduate center Barbora Tomancova all had double-figure games. Hartwig also led the team in rebounds with 15 for her second double-double of the season. Forward Celine Dupont also grabbed 14 boards with nine from Tomancova and Dozier to help Evansville dominate at the glass. The Aces outrebounded Chicago State 70-59 while also benefiting from 34 bench points compared to the Cougars 16.
UE has a quick turnaround to its next game on Wednesday, Nov. 29. Evansville will welcome the Bellarmine Knights to Meeks Family Fieldhouse for a 6 p.m. tip on Wednesday night.
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