EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Lindenwood women's basketball (9-7, 5-2 OVC) dropped a nail-biter in Evansville, Ind. against Ohio Valley Conference opponent Southern Indiana (13-5, 5-2 OVC) by a final score of 70-66. Southern Indiana nailed a top of the key three with 18 seconds remaining to lift them to victory.

Gracy Wernli led the Lions in scoring with 14 points, all coming in the first half of the ball-game. Wernli shot 5-13 from the field including two three-pointers. She was one of four different Lions to score in double-figures on Thursday.

Brooke Coffey also had double-figures in the loss scoring 12 points on 5-8 shooting while adding a team-high four assists. Coffey also was able to grab five rebounds for Lindenwood. The Lions out-rebounded Southern Indiana 31-27 including a team-high eight from Justis Odom. Odom also added seven points.

Mykayla Cunningham off the bench provided a spark going for 11 points, shooting 80.0% from the field (4-5 FG). Ellie Brueggemann also scored 10 points in the loss. LU shot 46.0% from the floor (23-50 FG) and 8-18 from three (44.4%).

Southern Indiana capitalized off Lindenwood's 20 turnovers on Thursday scoring 26 points off of takeaways. It marked the fifth time this season that the Lions have been forced into at least 20 turnovers. USI also out-scored Lindenwood 38-24 in the paint. Lindenwood's bench came in and scored 18 points including 11 from Cunningham.

During the first quarter of play, Lindenwood started off on a 10-4 run including three-pointers from Brueggemann and Wernli. Southern Indiana responded tying the game at 13 all with 2:37 left to play. The Screaming Eagles eventually would take a two-point lead heading into the second quarter. LU shot 7-13 from the floor in the first half including 3-6 from three.
 
USI's Sophia Loden was able to stretch the lead to five-points after an early three in the second quarter (22-17). Lindenwood's offense continued to push the pace going on a 10-2 run to take their first lead at 27-24 since early in the first quarter. Both teams traded blows before LU ended the half on an 11-3 run to head into the break leading 40-33.
 
Lindenwood shot 16-27 (59.3%) in the first half including 6-11 from three. Southern Indiana was held to 20.0% from three and 39.3% from the floor. USI was able to get to the line 10 times in the first half making nine of those. Wernli scored 14 points in the first half going 5-7 from the floor. Coffey and Brueggemann also had eight points each at the break.

The third quarter started a back-and-forth contest , but Lindenwood maintained their lead throughout the entire quarter. USI made a late push to end the quarter (4-0 run) to cut the lead to 55-53 heading into the final quarter. Alyssa Nielsen led the team in the third scoring five points, but the Southern Indiana press forced LU into seven turnovers. The Screaming Eagles also shot 60.0% in the quarter.

Lindenwood held the lead for the first five minutes of action in the final quarter before USI's Madison Webb gave them their first lead since the 32-30 mark with 4:23 remaining. With the game tied at 66 all, Vanessa Shafford made a three with 18 seconds remaining to put USI in front. Lindenwood was forced into an out-of-bounds turnover on the other end to seal the victory for the Screaming Eagles. LU was held to 11 points in the quarter and shot 25.0% from the field. The Lions were also out-scored 37-26 in the second half.

Lindenwood's road trip continues on Saturday as they take on Morehead State in Morehead, Ky. at 12:00 p.m. CT. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.