EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Morgan Sharps exploded for a career-high 26 points on Saturday, as the Bowling Green State University women’s basketball team downed the University of Southern Indiana, 100-74, at Screaming Eagles Arena.
Sharps went 7-for-10 from three-point land for the Falcons (3-1), pacing four double-digit scorers. Lexi Fleming scored 16 points in under 16 minutes, with Jocelyn Tate adding 15 and Elissa Brett 13.
BGSU reached the 100-point mark for the 27th time in school history, but the second time this week. The Falcons also hit the century mark in Monday’s home win over Wright State.
The Falcons had a five-point lead on the Screaming Eagles (2-2) after a foul-filled first quarter, and the margin was just four points after USI’s Vanessa Shafford hit a three-pointer almost exactly halfway through the second period. Shafford led the hosts with 21 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
But, after scoring 27 points in the game’s first 15 minutes, the Falcons proceeded to score 24 points over the final five minutes of the opening half. A Sharps three-pointer answered Shafford’s triple, and treys by Fleming and Sharps just 29 seconds apart gave BG a double-digit lead and prompted a USI timeout.
Fleming, who had 12 points in the second quarter alone, knocked down two more long-range shots in the final minutes of the period, and another Sharps three-pointer began an 8-0 run that ended the half.
BGSU led, 51-32, at the intermission. Sharps scored 12 points in the third quarter, as the lead reached 25 points, and that margin grew to as many as 30 points in the fourth period.
As a team, the Falcons went 14-for-29 from long distance on the day. BGSU forced the Screaming Eagles into 21 turnovers, while committing just 11 themselves. Tate had five steals as the Falcons had 14 as a team.
A total of 48 fouls were called in the game, including 28 in the first half.
The Falcons return home, beginning Wednesday. BGSU will meet Northern Kentucky in a 2 p.m. start at the Stroh Center.
