Eagles Breeze Past Hannibal-LaGrange, 106-44

All 13 University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball players found the scoring column Sunday as the Screaming Eagles recorded a 106-44 victory over NAIA foe Hannibal-LaGrange University at the Physical Activities Center.

USI (3-0) dominated the contest from start to finish as it used runs of 6-0 and 7-0 to build a comfortable 19-6 lead less than five minutes into the contest.

The Eagles, who had nine players with at least six points, shot 68.2 percent from the field in the first quarter as they expanded their lead to 35-12 heading into the second period.

In addition to the scoring, all 13 Eagles recorded at least one rebound and one assists in a game that saw each player play at least eight minutes. “Everybody got quality minutes from start to finish,” Head Coach Rick Stein said. “Everyone got in the game in the first half and played throughout.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever seen that,” Stein said when asked if he was surprised about getting scoring, rebounding, and assist contributions from all 13 players. “Not only getting quality minutes, but contributing, whether it was points, rebounds, assists; to have every player with at least one is impressive.”

Senior forward Hannah Wascher (Rantoul, Illinois) led the Eagles with 22 points and seven rebounds, while sophomore center Kacy Eschweiler (St. Charles, Missouri) contributed a career-high 15 points and eight rebounds. Junior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) had 11 points in addition to a game-high five assists and four steals for USI, which finished with 28 assists and just seven turnovers.

USI, which did not have a player in the game for more than 19 minutes, dominated the paint as it finished with eight blocks and a 59-27 rebounding edge. The Eagles’ bench also outscored the Trojans’ reserves 54-7.

Hannibal-LaGrange, which counted Sunday’s contest as an exhibition, got 12 points from junior guard Kenna Greenway and 10 points from senior guard Sarah Cline.

The Eagles, which shot 52.4 percent from the field, return to action Tuesday at 6 p.m. when they host the University of Alabama-Huntsville at the PAC.