University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball looks to put an end to a six-game losing streak Thursday at 5:15 p.m. when it returns to the Physical Activities Center for a Great Lakes Valley Conference bout against the University of Indianapolis.
USI (10-7, 3-6 GLVC) also hosts Saint Joseph’s College Saturday at 1 p.m. Both games can be heard on WPSR 90.7 FM, while GLVC Sports Network coverage along with live stats and audio can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.
The Screaming Eagles are coming off their toughest stretch of games they have played all season. USI played five games in 10 days, three of which were against nationally-ranked opponents. The combined record of USI’s opponents in the last five games is 72-16 (.818) overall and 36-9 (.800) in GLVC play.
USI has to do a better job on the offensive end if it is going to get back into the win column. The Eagles are averaging just 56.7 point per game in the last six contests and shooting just 38.5 percent from the field during that span. USI has shot less than 40.0 percent in its last four games and five of its last six outings.
Junior forward Hannah Wascher (Rantoul, Illinois) enters the week as the Eagles’ leading scorer and rebounder with 14.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per appearance. Junior guard Tanner Marcum (New Albany, Indiana) is chipping in 12.3 points and 3.3 assists per contest, while sophomore guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) is contributing 10.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Sophomore guard Randa Harshbarger (Philo, Illinois) is averaging a GLVC-best 5.7 assists per game and first in the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.20).
USI looks to add to a four-game winning streak over Indianapolis when it hosts the Greyhounds on Thursday.
Indianapolis (5-14, 3-6 GLVC) is led by senior guard Princess German and junior forward Nicole Anderson. German leads the GLVC with 20.7 points and 37.3 minutes per game, while Anderson is 10th in the league in scoring (14.5 ppg) and eighth in rebounding (7.3 rpg).
The Greyhounds lead the all-time series with the Eagles, 38-31, and are 17-12 versus USI since 2000.
USI leads the all-time series with Saint Joseph’s, 36-24, and is 22-4 against the Pumas since 2000. The Eagles are looking to add to a five-game winning streak over Saint Joseph’s and a 17-game success streak versus the Pumas at the PAC.
Saint Joseph’s (13-6, 6-3 GVC), which visits Bellarmine University Thursday, is led by junior forward Kalea Parks and senior guard Lauren Davis. Parks is sixth in the GLVC with 16.6 points per game, while Davis is eighth with 15.8 points per outing. Senior guard Courtney Kvachkoff is chipping in 12.6 points per appearance.
Saturday’s game is USI’s annual Hoops for Troops Military Appreciation Game. Free tickets will be given to veterans and military personnel of all eras and their guests. Tickets can be picked up the day of the game with military identification and/or proof of service in the front of the PAC. The event is sponsored by the American Legion Post 324 and the USI Veteran Military and Family Resource Center.
