Eureka Tops Spalding, Advances to SLIAC Semifinals, 85-58

EUREKA – The Eureka women's basketball team is headed to the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference semifinals after taking down Spalding 85-58 on Wednesday at Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena and Convocation Center.

The Red Devils (7-7) will face top-seeded Webster (10-1) on Friday at 7 p.m. and the winner will play for a SLIAC championship on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Eureka controlled their quarterfinal matchup against the Golden Eagles from end to end. The home team outshot and outrebounded the visitors while playing better defense and taking better care of the ball. 

By the end of it, the Red Devils had led by as many as 35 points. It was Eureka's first SLIAC Tournament win since 2017 and its eighth semifinal berth in the last 10 seasons. The maroon and gold are now 3-0 all-time at the Reagan Athletic Complex in the SLIAC Tournament.

Five Red Devils reached double figures in the win, with Shakaya Rogers (Hanover, Mich./Concord) dropped 17 on 7-of-8 shooting off the bench.

Whitney Bozarth (Normal, Ill./Normal West) racked up 15 points while putting away 4-of-9 3-point tries. Olivia Falls (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington) recorded a double-double of 11 points and 15 rebounds while going 5-of-8 from the floor.

Alaina Vance (Camp Point, Ill./Central) contributed 11 points and five assists and Marissa Murphy (Canton, Ill./Canton) posted 10 points three steals.

Kennedy Jackson (Peoria, Ill./Limestone) added five points, Lauren Ausmus (Eureka, Ill./Eureka) followed with three and Savanah Moore (Clinton, Ill./Clinton) produced five rebounds, three assists and three points.