Missouri State dished out a season-high 20 assists and led by at least 10 points for all but three of the game’s final 30 minutes Friday for a 77-70 victory over Evansville at JQH Arena.
The Lady Bears (12-7, 5-2 Missouri Valley Conference) got career-high assist totals from Danielle Gitzen (6) and Liza Fruendt (4), while Gitzen also matched a season-best with nine points and seniors Tyonna Snow and Kenzie Williams scored 17 points apiece. Evansville fell to 2-15 and 1-5 in MVC games.
Despite a slow shooting start, the Lady Bears still led 10-7 late in the first quarter when Lexi Hughes hit back-to-back 3-pointers at 2:07 and 1:16 before hitting a layup with 19 seconds left for a 20-10 lead after the first period.
The long balls continued early in the second frame when Hillary Chvatal, Grace Vander Weide and Williams all connected to make it 29-12 with 7:47 to play. The Lady Bears remained ahead by double digits for the remainder of the half, with Evansville knocking down its fifth trey with 31 seconds left for the 38-28 score.
UE’s Sara Dickey scored twice in the first 63 seconds of the third quarter to pull the Aces within 40-33, and the Lady Bears countered with a 10-0 run to match their largest lead at 50-33 on a Williams basket with 5:48 on the clock.
Chvatal scored for a 52-35 advantage on MSU’s next possession, but the Lady Bears came up empty on eight of their next nine trips down the floor before Snow bounced a jumper home with three seconds left to make it 57-46 after three quarters.
Missouri State began the fourth period on an 8-2 run to once again equal its largest lead, this time at 65-48 after a Williams jumper with 6:38 to play. Williams then converted a steal into a three-point play for 72-52 and 3:39 on the clock, and the Purple Aces made their final six field goals to cut into the final margin.
The Lady Bears shot 44.3 percent overall, led by Snow’s 8-for-11 effort, and seven players hit a 3-pointer. Snow added three assists and three steals, and Audrey Holt grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. MSU held a 41-37 margin on the glass.
MSU hosts Southern Illinois (11-7, 4-2) at 7 p.m. Sunday. Several ticket specials are in place as the MSU men also play SIU at 3 p.m. Season ticket holders for the Lady Bears can receive a free ticket to the men’s game and vice versa, and fans who purchase a men’s ticket Sunday receive a ticket to the women’s game as well.
