University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball is receiving votes in the latest WBCA Division II Coaches’ and Division II Media Top 25 polls.
The Screaming Eagles rank No. 27 with 20 votes in the Media Poll and are tied for No. 32 with 10 votes in the Coaches’ Poll. This week’s polls do not reflect results from Monday’s games.
USI (14-3, 6-1 GLVC) is coming off a tough 88-83 setback to No. 4 Bellarmine University last night at the Physical Activities Center. Senior guard Tanner Marcum (New Albany, Indiana) had a career-high 30 points to lead the Eagles, who led by four with just over four minutes to play in the contest.
The Eagles must now turn their attention to this weekend as they play host to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and No. 24 Lewis Saturday at 1 p.m. Fans are encouraged to participate in the Eagles’ “Whiteout†game Thursday, while Saturday is Military Appreciation Day at the PAC.
Veterans, military personnel and their guests will receive free tickets to Saturday’s games with their military identification or proof of service at the front of the PAC. In addition to the free tickets, military members will also be given a yellow pin along with a coupon for a free hot dog, chips and drink.
UW-Parkside (5-10, 3-4 GLVC) has won three straight games and five of its last eight after opening the year with seven straight losses; while Lewis (13-4, 5-2 GLVC), which visits Bellarmine Thursday, is trying to bounce back from a 77-72 home loss to Maryville University last Saturday.
Both games will be aired on WSWI 95.7 FM, while live stats, audio, and GLVC Sports Network coverage can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.
USI Women’s Basketball Notes
- Eagles’ lead slips away in loss to No. 4 Bellarmine. USI Women’s Basketball saw a late four-point lead slip away as No. 4 Bellarmine used a late 9-0 run to earn an 88-83 victory over the Screaming Eagles. Senior guard Tanner Marcumhad a game-high 30 points to lead the Eagles, while junior guard Randa Harshbarger added 15 points.
- Eagles suffer first GLVC loss.USI suffered its first loss in league play after opening GLVC competition with a 6-0 record for the first time since the 1996-97 campaign.
- USI receiving votes in Top 25 polls.The Eagles are receiving votes in this week’s Division II Media Poll as well as this week’s WBCA Coaches’ Poll. USI ranks No. 27 with 20 votes in the Media Poll and is tied for No. 32 with 10 votes in the Coaches’ Poll. This week’s polls do not reflect results from Monday’s games.
- Time for another winning streak? USI has followed each of its first two losses of the season with winning streaks of at least four games. Up next for the Eagles are bouts against GLVC East Division foes Wisconsin-Parkside, No. 24 Lewis, Saint Joseph’s and Indianapolis.
- Bench points. USI’s starters accounted for 79 of USI’s 83 points in the Eagles’ five-point loss to Bellarmine Monday night. The four points from USI’s bench marked the lowest output of the season for the Eagles’ reserves, which are outscoring the opposition’s bench by nearly 10 points per game (24.9-15.2).
- Marcum’s 30 points. Senior guard Tanner Marcum’s 30-point performance against Bellarmine marked USI’s highest point total since Anna Hackert scored 35 in the Eagles’ win over Indianapolis February 19, 2015.
- Scouting the opposition (UW-Parkside). Senior guard Brittney Fair averages 13.0 points per game to lead the Rangers, who have won three straight and five of their last eight games after opening the season with seven straight losses.
- Last year against UW-Parkside. The Rangers used runs of 7-0 and 10-3 to build a 14-point third-quarter lead; then withstood a late USI charge to hand the Eagles a 72-60 loss in Somers, Wisconsin. Morgan Dahlstromhad 14 points and seven rebounds to lead the Eagles, who shot just 33.8 percent from the field in what was their sixth-straight loss.
- Scouting the opposition (Lewis). Sophomore forward Jessica Kelliher averages a team-best 20.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game to lead the Flyers, who are coming off a 77-72 home loss to Maryville last Saturday. She is averaging 24.0 points per game in GLVC-only contests. Senior guard Jamie Johnson, the 2014 GLVC Player of the Year, is chipping in 18.4 points per contest.
- Last year against Lewis. The Flyers shot 51.8 percent from the field and scored 31 points off 21 USI turnovers en route to a 76-47 win over the Eagles in Romeoville, Illinois. Kendyl Dearinghad 14 points to lead USI, while Mariah Brawner-Henley had 20 points to lead Lewis.
- Familiar name? USI’s game against Lewis marks the second time this year the Eagles’ post players will go up against a player named Kelliher. Jessica Kelliher, Lewis’s leading scorer, is the sister of Michigan Tech’s Elizabeth Kelliher, who had four points in the Huskies’ 79-61 win over the Eagles in November.
- Marcum leads GLVC in assist-to-turnover ratio.Senior guard Tanner Marcum leads the GLVC with her 2.3 assist-to-turnover ratio. The next closest player to Marcum in the GLVC has a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio.
- Record book watch. Several players are starting to make appearances in USI’s record books:
–Tanner Marcum ranks 18th in scoring (930);
–Kaydie Grooms is 22nd in scoring (840) and is tied for 18th in blocks (43);
–Randa Harshbarger is 10th in assists (217);
–Hannah Wascher is tied for 10th in blocks (58) and 39th in scoring (566);
–Morgan Dahlstrom is tied for 22nd in blocks (35).
- USI in statistical rankings. USI begins the weekend leading the GLVC in 10 statistical rankings and is in the top six of 18 GLVC statistical categories. The Eagles are ranked in the top 25 of 10 NCAA Division II statistical rankings.
