University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball concludes its season-long road trip this week as it visits Maryville University Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in St. Louis, Missouri, and Missouri University of Science & Technology Saturday at 1 p.m. in Rolla, Missouri.
Both games will be aired on 95.7 The Spin as well as the GLVC Sports Network, while live stats, audio and video can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.
The Screaming Eagles (12-6, 8-4 GLVC) are coming off an 81-68 road win over Lindenwood University this past Saturday after falling to the University of Missouri-St. Louis, 72-64, last Thursday in St. Louis. Senior guard Ashley Johnson averaged 15.0 points, 5.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game to lead the Eagles on the week.
Heading into Thursday’s game against the Saints, USI has three players in double-figures in the scoring column, led by Johnson, who is averaging a team-high 14.3 points and 3.9 assists per game. Junior guard Emma DeHart is chipping in 11.2 points per contest, while freshman forward Hannah Haithcock is contributing 10.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per appearance. Sophomore forward Ashlynn Brown also is contributing 7.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest.
Following this week’s games, the Eagles return to Screaming Eagles Arena for rematches against Lindenwood (February 13) and Missouri-St. Louis (February 15).
USI Women’s Basketball Notes
• USI splits first half of four-game road trip. USI Women’s Basketball went 1-1 in the first half of its season-long four-game road trip. Senior guard Ashley Johnson averaged 15.0 points, 5.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game to lead the Eagles, who fell to Missouri-St. Louis, 72-64, Thursday before defeating Lindenwood, 81-68, Saturday. Freshman forward Hannah Haithcock averaged 13.5 points per game, while junior guard Emma DeHart chipped in 11.0 points per contest. Sophomore forward Ashlynn Brown led USI with 7.5 rebounds per outing.
• USI-Lindenwood breakdown. Led by Johnson, the Eagles had four players in double-figures and another with nine points en route to a 13-point win over Lindenwood. Johnson finished with a career-high tying 22 points and six assists, including 13 points in the second half, while Haithcock scored 11 of her 15 points in the final 20 minutes. DeHart and freshman guard Addy Blackwellhad 12 and 10 points, respectively, for the Eagles, who Eagles held Lindenwood to just 28.1 percent (9-32) from the field in the opening half en route to a 33-27 halftime lead.
• Eagles big at charity stripe. USI went 17-of-20 from the free throw line in its win over Lindenwood despite being just 1-of-2 at the charity stripe in the opening half. The Eagles made 12-of-13 free throw attempts in the final 90 seconds of the game to seal the victory.
• Eagles struggle in second half, fall to UMSL. USI went just 9-of-31 (.290) from the field in the second half and just 3-of-13 (.231) in the third period in its loss to Missouri-St. Louis. Haithcock had 12 points to lead the Eagles, while Brown contributed 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds. DeHart added 10 points.
• First loss when leading at the half. The Eagles suffered their first loss in 10 games this season when leading at the half in their setback to Missouri-St. Louis. USI raced out to a 39-36 halftime advantage before being held to just 25 second-half points.
• Rare loss. Thursday’s loss to the Tritons marked the first time since March 3, 2017, that the Eagles have lost a game when committing fewer than 10 turnovers—USI was 2-0 this season and had won seven straight games when limiting its turnovers to fewer than 10. The Eagles are now 19-5 under Head Coach Rick Stein when committing fewer than 10 turnovers, including 15-3 since the 2013-14 campaign.
• USI’s first GLVC road loss. Thursday’s loss also marked USI’s first GLVC road loss. The Eagles’ were 4-0 on the road in GLVC play prior to visiting Missouri-St. Louis.
• Double-figures. USI has had nine different players reach double figures in the scoring column this year, with seven different players scoring at least 10 points in multiple games.
• DeHart drains two second-half three-pointers. Junior guard Emma DeHart drained a pair of three-pointers and had eight points in the first four minutes of the third quarter as USI extended its six-point halftime lead over Lindenwood to 48-33 early in the second half.
• Moses helps thwart Lindenwood comeback. Senior guard Kiara Moses had a steal and a break-a-way layup in a 7-0 run at the end of the third period that turned a 50-46 USI lead into an 11-point advantage heading into the final 10 minutes. After a quick Lindenwood basket early in the fourth quarter, Moses drained a three-pointer to give USI a 12-point lead and keep momentum in the Eagles’ favor.
• Robbe scores 16. Freshman forward Tara Robbe scored 16 points during USI’s two games last week, finishing with nine in USI’s win over Lindenwood.
• Johnson finishes with five assists. Senior guard Ashley Johnson had eight points and a team-high five assists in the loss to Missouri-St. Louis.
• Blackwell sinks two three’s. Freshman guard Addy Blackwell sank a pair of first-half three-pointers in USI’s loss to Missouri-St. Louis. She finished the game with six points, going 2-of-3 from the field and 2-of-2 from downtown.
• Moses, Sherwood combine for 11. Senior guard Kiara Moses and senior guard/forward Morgan Sherwood combined for 11 points and eight rebounds in USI’s loss to Missouri-St. Louis. Moses finished with six points and five boards.
• Haithcock joins select group. Forward Hannah Haithcock became the seventh freshman under USI Head Coach Rick Stein to reach double-figures in the scoring column 10 times during their rookie campaign. Haithcock has reached double-figures 11 times, surpassing the total number of 10 double-figure scoring performances that former USI standouts Anna Hackert and Kaydie Grooms recorded in their freshmen campaigns and two shy of Amie Newhart’s freshman total of 13. Jessica Stuckman’s 20 in 2000-01 stands as the most for a freshman under Stein. Lauren Parrish reached double-figures 12 times as a freshman in 2003-04, while Keisha Collins reached double-figures in the scoring column 18 times in 2005-06.
• About Maryville. Senior guard Mary Barton averages 22.9 points and 4.6 assists per game to lead the Saints, who are 11-8 overall and 6-6 in GLVC play after losing games at Southwest Baptist and No. 1 Drury last week. Senior center Abby Monis chips in 12.3 points and a team-high 8.6 rebounds per contest.
• About Missouri S&T. Sophomore guard Laura Rodriguez averages 12.1 points per game to lead the Miners, who have lost four straight games heading into their Thursday matchup with McKendree. Senior center Mykala Berry is one of four Miners averaging at least 8.0 points per game as she contributes 11.3 points and a team-high 10.1 rebounds per contest.
• Screaming Eagles Arena. The Eagles’ game against Central Missouri marked the first-ever regular-season basketball game in Screaming Eagles Arena. USI Women’s Basketball played in the Physical Activities Center from 1980-81 to 2018-19, posting a 363-194 record all-time at the PAC, including a 217-81 record under Head Coach Rick Stein.
• Magic Mark: 75 points. The Eagles are 418-77 (.844) all-time when scoring at least 75 points. USI is 291-28 (.912) since 1996-97 when reaching the 75-point plateau.
