University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball looks to stay atop the Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division standings this week as it travels to Rensselaer, Indiana, to take on Saint Joseph’s College Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and to Indianapolis to take on the University of Indianapolis Saturday at noon (CST).
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. The GLVC Sports Network also is available on Apple TV (4th generation), Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, and Roku.
USI (16-3, 8-1 GLVC) is tied with No. 11 Bellarmine University for first place in the GLVC East Division following its 2-1 showing in conference play last week. The Screaming Eagles suffered an 88-83 loss to then No. 4 Bellarmine, but bounced back with a 78-71 win over the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and an 85-65 win over then No. 24 Lewis University.
Senior guard Tanner Marcum (New Albany, Indiana) was named the GLVC Player of the Week after leading the Eagles with 24.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 3.0 steals per game. Junior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) added 16.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest to aid the Eagles, who are receiving votes in both the WBCA Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll and Division II Media Poll for the second straight week.
For the season, Grooms leads the Eagles and ranks sixth in the GLVC with 16.2 points per game, while Marcum is second on the team and 16th in the GLVC with 13.2 points per appearance.
Saint Joseph’s (8-11, 4-5 GLVC), which defeated the Eagles twice a year ago, have lost four of its last six games. Senior forward Kalea Parks averages 15.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game to lead the Pumas, who had won 6-of-9 after losing four straight to begin the year.
Junior guard/forward Sydney Brackemyre and junior guard Martha Burse lead Indianapolis, which has won six of its last seven games to improve to 13-6 overall and 7-2 in GLVC play. Brackemyre averages a team-best 16.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, while Burse is chipping in 14.5 points and a team-best 3.6 assists per contest for the Greyhounds, who defeated the Eagles 73-64 last year at the PAC.
USI Women’s Basketball Notes
- Five-minute stretch separates USI from Lewis. USI Women’s Basketball turned a 39-39 tie against No. 24 Lewis into a blowout in a matter of five minutes Saturday. The Eagles forced Lewis into seven turnovers and got scoring contributions from four different players as they went on a 22-0 run to take a 61-39 lead with nine minutes to play in the game. USI sank 14-of-16 free throw attempts in the last three minutes to preserve the 85-65 win.
- Marcum nets GLVC honor.Senior guard Tanner Marcumearned GLVC Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career after averaging 24.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 3.0 steals per game last week. Marcum had 30 points in USI’s loss to No. 4 Bellarmine, 24 points in the Eagles win over UW-Parkside and 20 points in USI’s win over No. 24 Lewis.
- Free throws become huge for USI.The Eagles made the most of their trips to the charity stripe last week, shooting a blistering 86.3 percent (63-73) from the free throw line during their games against Bellarmine, UW-Parkside and Lewis. The Eagles have moved up to second in the GLVC in free throw shooting (.745) after ranking 8th at the beginning of the month (.705) and 15th a year ago (.658).
- Marcum increasing scoring contributions, eyes 1,000.Senior guard Tanner Marcumhas stepped up her scoring contributions in USI’s last five games as she is averaging 22.2 points and 4.2 assists per game during that span. She needs 26 points to become the 16th player in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateau in her career.
- USI in the 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. 28 with 27 votes in the Media Poll and is No. 29 with 26 votes in the Coaches’ Poll. USI also is ranked No. 23 in the latest Herosports.comDivision II Top 25 rankings.
- Harshbarger becoming scoring threat.Junior guard Randa Harshbargerhas been becoming more of a scoring threat during the month of January, especially in USI’s last three games. Harshbarger is averaging 8.6 points per game in January, including 11.3 points per game in USI’s last three contests.
- Scouting the opposition (SJC).Senior forward Kalea Parks averages 15.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game to lead the Pumas, who have lost four of their last six. SJC, at one point, had won 6-of-9 after losing four straight to begin the year.
- Last year against SJC.USI dropped a heart-breaking 67-64 decision to the Pumas in overtime at the PAC during the regular season before falling to SJC, 71-59, in the first round of the GLVC Tournament. Kaydie Grooms averaged 16.5 points per game to lead the Eagles in the two contests, while Kalea Parks averaged 24.0 points and 10.5 rebounds to lead the Pumas.
- Scouting the opposition (UIndy).Led by junior guard/forward Sydney Brackemyre and junior guard Martha Burse, the Greyhounds have won six of their last seven games. Brackemyre, a transfer from Louisville, averages a team-best 16.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, while Burse is chipping in 14.5 points and a team-best 3.6 assists per contest.
- Last year against UIndy.Princess German scorched the Eagles for five three-pointers and 25 points as UIndy defeated the Eagles, 73-64, at the PAC. Kaydie Grooms and Tanner Marcum had 15 and 14 points, respectively, to lead the Eagles.
- Marcum leads GLVC in assist-to-turnover ratio. Senior guard Tanner Marcumleads the GLVC with her 2.5 assist-to-turnover ratio. The next closest player to Marcum in the GLVC has a 1.8 assist-to-turnover ratio.
- Record book watch.Several players are starting to make appearances in USI’s record books:
–Tanner Marcum ranks 17th in scoring (974) and is tied for 13th in assists (205);
–Kaydie Grooms is 20th in scoring (875) and is 18th in blocks (45);
–Randa Harshbarger is ninth in assists (221);
–Hannah Wascher is ninth in blocks (60) and 39th in scoring (577);
–Morgan Dahlstrom is 22nd in blocks (36) and tied for 28th in rebounds (366).
- USI in statistical rankings. USI begins the weekend leading the GLVC in nine 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.
