University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball tips-off a two-game homestand Thursday at 5:30 p.m. when it hosts Maryville University in its annual Play4Kay game at the Physical Activities Center. The Screaming Eagles also host Quincy University Saturday at 1 p.m. for Homecoming at the PAC.
USI (17-2, 9-1 GLVC), which is ranked No. 10 in the latest Division II Media Poll and No. 16 in the latest WBCA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, puts on its pink uniforms Thursday as it joins the fight against breast cancer. The Eagles, winners of six straight, are asking all fans to join them in pink.
Both games this week can be heard on WSWI 95.7 FM and watched on the GLVC Sports Network. Live stats, audio and GLVCSN coverage can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.
Women’s Basketball Notes (1/30/18)
• Eagles 2-0 last week. USI Women’s Basketball went 2-0 in GLVC play last week, posting a 74-57 home win over Wisconsin-Parkside before claiming a 74-62 road win over McKendree.
• Second-half defense. Second-half defense was a big key to the Eagles’ success last week. USI held UW-Parkside to 25 second-half points and McKendree to 23. They held both opponents to a combined 23.8 percent (15-63) from the field and 22.2 percent (6-27) from behind the arc.
• Last week’s Leaders. Senior forward Morgan Dahlstrom averaged 17.0 points and 14.0 rebounds per game to lead the Eagles last week. Senior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms added 15.0 points and 2.5 steals per contest, while junior forward Kacy Eschweiler chipped in 11.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per outing. Senior guard Randa Harshbarger led USI with 6.5 assists per game.
• Six-game win streak. During the Eagles’ six-game win streak, Grooms is leading USI with 17.8 points and 2.5 steals per game, while Dahlstrom is averaging 15.0 points and 12.3 rebounds per contest. Alex Davidson is contributing 11.5 points per outing, while Harshbarger is chipping in 9.0 points and 5.5 assists per game. Eschweiler is contributing 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.
• Big runs. USI is using big runs during its six-game wining streak. The Eagles have had double-digit surges in each of their six wins and have strung together at least 15 straight points in four of those contests. Their largest runs were 17-0 outbursts against Missouri S&T and UW-Parkside.
• Season Leaders. Grooms and Dahlstrom continue to lead the Eagles in scoring with 17.9 and 15.7 points per game, respectively. Dahlstrom leads the GLVC with 10.2 rebounds per contest, while Harshbarger is averaging a team-high 3.9 assists per appearance.
• USI in the Top 25. USI surged four spots to No. 16 in the latest USA Today Sports/NCAA Division II Coaches’ Poll and stayed at No. 10 in the latest Division II Media Poll. USI also is No. 8 in the latest Herosports.com Division II rankings and No. 12 in the Massey Ratings.
• Where do they stand? USI and Drury begin the week tied atop the GLVC Tournament Point Rating System with a 4.60 points average; while Lewis is sitting in third at a 4.55 points average. Bellarmine and Missouri-St. Louis are fourth and fifth with respective point averages of 3.55 and 3.45. The top eight teams will qualify for the GLVC Tournament based on the point rating system, which is detailed on page 9 of this week’s notes.
• Play4Kay. The Eagles host Maryville February 1 for its annual Play4Kay game. USI Women’s Basketball asks fans to join the Eagles in pink as they try to raise breast cancer awareness.
• Homecoming. USI hosts Quincy Saturday for Homecoming at the PAC. The Eagles have won their last four Homecoming games.
• A look at Maryville. Led by senior guard Ali Ringering, the Saints (6-11, 3-8 GLVC) have four players averaging double-figures in the scoring column. Ringering is averaging 14.3 points for Maryville, which saw a two-game win streak end with a 60-55 home loss to Wisconsin-Parkside Saturday.
• A look at Quincy. Senior forward Anika Webster averages 16.4 points per game to lead the Hawks (7-13, 3-8 GLVC), who have lost three of their last four games.
• What’s ahead? USI visits Illinois Springfield February 8 before hosting Bellarmine February 10 for Senior Night at the PAC.
• Record book watch. Three players are in currently in USI’s record books:
–Kaydie Grooms is sixth in three-point field goals made (131) and three-point field goal attempts (339); seventh in scoring (1,354) and free throws made (309); ninth in blocks (62); 11th in steals (162); 12th in assists (215); and 17th in rebounds (479);
–Randa Harshbarger is fourth in assists (333) and seventh in steals (174);
–Morgan Dahlstrom is eighth in rebounds (637), tied for 11th in blocks (59), and is tied for 21st in scoring (858).
• USI in statistical rankings. USI begins the week ranked first in the GLVC in five statistical categories including scoring defense, scoring margin, field goal percentage defense, rebounding and rebound margin. The Eagles rank in the top five of 15 GLVC statistical categories and in the top 25 of four NCAA II statistical categories.
• Eagles in statistical rankings. Several Eagles were in the top 15 of GLVC statistical categories to begin the week:
–Morgan Dahlstrom (7 categories) ranks No. 1 in total rebounds (10.2 rpg), offensive rebounds (3.4 orpg), defensive rebounds (6.8 drpg) and double-doubles (8);
–Alex Davidson (2 categories) is No. 14 in three-pointers made per game (1.6) and steals (1.8 spg);
–Kacy Eschweiler (2 categories) is No. 8 in blocks (1.2 bpg);
–Kaydie Grooms (7 categories) is No. 4 in scoring (17.9 ppg);
–Imani Guy (1 category) is tied for No. 12 in blocks (0.8 bpg)
–Randa Harshbarger (3 categories) is No. 2 in steals (2.9 spg).
• Magic Mark: 75 points. The Eagles are 396-75 (.841) all-time when scoring at least 75 points. USI is 269-26 (.912) since 1996-97 when reaching the 75-point plateau.
