EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball got back in the win column on Homecoming at Screaming Eagles Arena on Saturday, as the Screaming Eagles displayed a high level of toughness in a 58-46 victory against Morehead State University.
Saturday’s win was highlighted by a gritty fourth quarter from Southern Indiana, leading to a win that snapped a four-game skid for USI. The victory improved USI’s record to 10-13 overall and 4-8 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Saturday’s win also moved USI into a tie for seventh in the OVC standings. Morehead State’s record dropped to 9-14 overall and 5-7 in OVC play, good for a fifth-place tie in the OVC standings.
The game started slow offensively, as each side tried to find its flow shooting. Multiple possessions in the first quarter went deep into the shot clock. USI jumped on the scoreboard first on a jumper by senior forward Hannah Haithcock (Washington Courthouse, Ohio). Each team had scoreless droughts that lasted over a couple of minutes due to strong efforts on the defensive end. Southern Indiana and Morehead State were all square at seven after the first period.
Southern Indiana quickly grabbed a three-point lead at the start of the second quarter after sophomore guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) canned a triple. Shafford ended up giving USI a 12-9 lead after a layup, scoring the first five USI points of the second quarter. Near the six-minute mark, senior guard Soffia Rieckers (Evansville, Indiana) splashed home a three to push USI’s lead to five, 17-12. After a layup by Haithcock with three minutes remaining in the first half, USI obtained its biggest lead in the opening half of nine points, 21-12. Morehead State chipped away before halftime, as USI took a 22-17 lead into the break.
Out of halftime, the Screaming Eagles increased their advantage to double digits following a basket by Haithcock and a banked-in three-pointer from Shafford with the shot clock winding down. USI went ahead 27-17 with 8:27 left in the third quarter. Once again, Morehead State chipped away to cut USI’s margin down to three near the midway point of the third, 27-24. Two minutes later, Haithcock snapped a two-minute scoreless skid for USI with a crafty post move. USI finished the third quarter on an 8-0 run with six of the eight points coming from Haithcock. Southern Indiana led 38-27 entering the fourth quarter.
At the start of the fourth period, Rieckers drove the right baseline and got a mid-range shot to fall to give USI a 13-point advantage, 40-27. Morehead State responded by cutting USI’s lead down to six, 41-35, with just over seven minutes left in the fourth. USI’s Shafford answered with a three-pointer to move the Screaming Eagles’ lead back up to nine, 44-35.
Following the halfway point of the fourth, the intensity ramped up. Morehead State kept fighting, trimming USI’s lead down to eight with four minutes remaining. Seconds later, Southern Indiana got a big basket and a foul by junior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana), giving USI an 11-point lead, 49-38. Near the three-minute mark, Morehead State got back within seven. Raley responded with a basket before a shot-clock violation to push USI’s margin back up to nine, 51-42. About a minute later, Shafford drained a three to seemingly give USI the needed insurance for the win, as Raley and USI closed out the victory with made free throws.
Southern Indiana had three players finish in double figures. Shafford posted her fourth double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds. It was her 18th game scoring 10 or more and her sixth game with 10 or more rebounds. Haithcock recorded 18 points with 13 coming in the second half. She also grabbed eight boards. Raley tallied a dozen with nine points coming in the final frame. For the game, USI shot 19-56 for 33.9 percent, 15-19 for 78.9 percent at the line, and made five threes. Southern Indiana outrebounded Morehead State 46-38 with 17 offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance points.
For Morehead State, senior guard Veronica Charles led the team with 17 points. Morehead State was 17-61 for 27.9 percent shooting, 5-6 for 83.3 percent at the stripe, and hit seven triples.
Next up, the Screaming Eagles will hop on the bus Thursday for a 5 p.m. road game at Tennessee Tech University. Thursday will be the first meeting between USI and Tennessee Tech. The game can be seen live with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on 95.7 FM The Spin (http://957thespin.com).
