University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball used big efforts in both the second and fourth quarters to run away with a 79-64 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory over the University of Illinois Springfield Saturday afternoon at the Physical Activities Center.
USI (6-1, 2-0 GLVC) used a 13-2 run that spanned the closing minute of the first quarter and the first four minutes of the second quarter to jump out to a 29-18 lead. Three Screaming Eagles finished the first half with 10 points each as USI outscored the visiting Prairie Stars, 22-14, in the second quarter to take a 41-30 advantage into the intermission.
The Prairie Stars (3-4, 0-2 GLVC) slowly chipped away at USI’s lead in the third quarter, trimming it to five points on a pair of occasions.
Junior forward Hannah Wascher (Rantoul, Illinois), however, used a feed from sophomore guard Randa Harshbarger (Philo, Illinois) to score a layup in the final 20 seconds of the third quarter to give USI a 57-50 lead heading into the final period.
Back-to-back three-pointers by junior guard Kendyl Dearing (Huntingburg, Indiana) put USI up 63-50 two minutes into the fourth quarter, while an old-fashioned three-point play by sophomore guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) put USI up by 16 with 7:36 to play in the game.
A layup by junior center Ruta Savickaite (Vinius, Lithuania) 30 seconds later ended what turned out to be a 13-0 USI run, putting the Eagles up 68-50.
Grooms had a three-pointer with just under six minutes to play to give USI a commanding 72-52 lead, its largest of the contest.
USI, which shot 50.0 percent (15-30) from the field in the second half, outscored the Prairie Stars, 22-14, in the fourth quarter to finish with the 15-point win.
Wascher, who scored USI’s last six points in the third quarter, led the Eagles with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Junior guard Tanner Marcum (New Albany, Indiana) had 12 points, three assist, and three steals to aid USI; while Dearing and sophomore forwardMorgan Dahlstrom (Grayslake, Illinois) each had 12 points for the Eagles.
Grooms added nine points, four assists, and seven rebounds, while Harshbarger chipped in six points, three steals, and a career-high nine assists.
Senior guard Meredith Marti had 15 points to lead the Prairie Stars, while junior forward Syerra Cunningham had 14 points and 12 rebounds.
USI, which was 19-of-21 (.905) from the free throw line, including 16-of-18 (.889) in the first half, returns to action Tuesday at 6 p.m. when it takes on Salem International University at the PAC. The Tigers are 0-7 to begin the 2015-16 season.
