University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball moved up three spots to No. 11 in the latest Division II Top 25 Media Poll, presented by D2SIDA.
The Screaming Eagles (9-1, 9-1 GLVC), who have won four straight games, went 2-0 last week to make their case for the rise in the poll. This week’s ranking, like last week’s, is the highest the Eagles have been ranked since they were No. 9 in the Division II Media Poll on February 20, 2018.
USI was joined in the national rankings by fellow Great Lakes Valley Conference member Drury University, who continued to hold its No. 1 ranking. Truman State University, the Eagles opponent Saturday, is receiving votes.
Other schools from the Midwest Region include No. 15 Grand Valley State University (GLIAC) and No. 23 Cedarville University (GMAC).
The Eagles return to action Thursday at 5:15 p.m. when they host Quincy University in a 5:15 p.m. contest at Screaming Eagles Arena. Thursday’s bout is USI’s Play4Kay game.
How to Watch
While fans are not permitted to attend the games, they can watch free of charge on the GLVC Sports Network, which is available both you’re your desktop, mobile/tablet devices, as well as four over-the-top (OTT) platforms, including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Apple TV (4th Generation). GLVCSN.com is the official website of the GLVC Sports Network, while the GLVCSN mobile app is available for iOS in the App Store and Android on Google Play. Apple users also can use AirPlay with their Apple TV or some of the newer smart TVs. (GLVCSN FAQs)
Other ways to follow the action
USI’s games will be carried on the airwaves at 95.7 The Spin as well as online at 957thespin.com. Links to both the online audio as well as live stats can be found at GoUSIEagles.com. Updates also will be provided on USI’s social media platforms (@USIAthletics), particularly Twitter.
Updated USI Women’s Basketball Notes (1/27/21)
• USI to Play4Kay Thursday. USI Women’s Basketball was in their pink uniforms Tuesday and will be in their pink uniforms, once again, Thursday when it “Plays4Kay”. The Play4Kay, which has been called Think Pink, Paint it Pink, Pink Zone, Pink Game and Pink Out, is associated with the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and has six elements to unite all coaches and teams participating in order to brand a united front across the country. The Play4Kay dates are February 10-20, but coaches also have the option to choose their most marketable date. Hall of Fame Coach Kay Yow, who battled cancer for 22 years, was the coach at North Carolina State from 1975-2009, earning more than 700 career wins. She passed away in January 2009.
• Eagles start long week with win over UIndy. USI Women’s Basketball began its three-game homestand this week with a 56-51 win over Indianapolis Tuesday evening. Senior guard Emma DeHart had a game-high tying 15 points, including 13 in the second half and nine in the fourth quarter, to pace the Eagles. Sophomore guard Addy Blackwell added 14 points, draining three shots from downtown, and finished with four steals, while sophomore forward Hannah Haithcock contributed 10 points, nine rebounds and three blocks.
• USI returns to court with two road wins. The Eagles returned to the court last week with a pair of GLVC road wins after having their previous three games postponed due to COVID-19 concerns. The Eagles began the week with a 64-59 win over Lewis Thursday before bettering Illinois Springfield, 77-71, Saturday.
• Last week’s leaders. Haithcock and fellow sophomore forward Tara Robbe averaged 16.5 and 11.5 points per game, respectively, to lead the Eagles, while Robbe added a team-high 6.0 rebounds per contest. USI had five players with 8.0 points per game or better, with Blackwell and senior guard Ashley Hunter each contributing 9.0 points per game. DeHart added 8.0 points per game and matched Blackwell with a team-high 3.5 assists per contest, while Blackwell and senior center Audrey Turner respectively led the Eagles with 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.
• USI moves up three spots in national poll. The Eagles jumped three spots to No. 11 in this week’s D2SIDA Top 25 Media Poll. The WBCA Top 25 is set to debut February 2. This week’s ranking, once again, is the highest for the Eagles since they were ranked No. 9 in Division II Media Poll February 20, 2018.
• GLVC Point Ratings System. The Eagles are currently second in the latest GLVC Point Ratings System (PRS) rankings, which determine the eight teams that will compete in the GLVC Tournament in March. The Eagles have a rating of 4.45, trailing only undefeated Drury (4.81). Truman State (4.41) is close behind USI, while Lewis (3.61) and Missouri-St. Louis (3.38) round out the top five teams. Lindenwood (3.25), Maryville (3.15) and Rockhurst (3.06) round out the top eight teams.
• Season leaders. DeHart leads USI with 14.9 points and 3.3 assists per game, while Haithcock is averaging 11.2 points and a team-high 6.8 rebounds per contest. Blackwell is contributing 9.8 points and a team-high 2.0 steals per outing, while Hunter is adding 7.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.6 steals per appearance. Turner leads USI with 1.2 blocks per contest.
• Roaring 20s. Senior guard Emma DeHart has reached the 20-point plateau three times this year after entering the year with one career 20-point game. USI had five different players reach the 20-point plateau a year ago, including DeHart and sophomore forwards Tara Robbe and Hannah Haithcock.
• Double-figures. USI has had nine different players reach double-figures in the scoring column this year, with six players having had 10 or more points in multiple games.
• About Quincy. The Hawks’ 68-63 win over McKendree Saturday was their first of the year as they enter Screaming Eagles Arena with a 1-10 overall mark, 1-10 GLVC. Sophomore guard Laney Lantz averages 17.4 points per game to lead Quincy, while freshman guard Jazzpher Evans is contributing 13.4 points per appearance. Sophomore forward Marta Rivera leads Quincy with 5.6 rebounds per outing.
• Last year. Senior guard Ashley Johnson and then-sophomore forward Ashlynn Brown each scored 12 points, while Haithcock added 10 points for USI, which defeated Quincy, 65-41, last year at Screaming Eagles Arena. The Eagles held a 37-23 lead at the intermission before outscoring Quincy 18-5 in the third quarter to put the game away. Alexa Low had eight points and nine rebounds to lead Quincy.
• About Truman. With nearly four players averaging in double-figures, sophomore guard Hannah Belanger and senior forward Katie Jaseckas are averaging 18.5 and 16.3 points per game, respectively, to lead the Bulldogs, who are 9-2 overall and 9-2 in GLVC play following a 51-46 win over William Jewell Saturday. Jaseckas also is averaging 8.7 rebounds per game, trailing sophomore forward Ellie Weltha (9.9 ppg/9.4 rpg) for the team lead, while senior guard Tiffany Davenport is dishing out a team-high 6.4 assists per game for Truman, which visits McKendree Thursday evening.
• Last meeting. USI overcame a 19-point first-quarter deficit and 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Bulldogs, 83-78, earlier this month in Kirksville, Missouri. Brown had a career-high 17 points to lead the Eagles, whose bench outscored Truman’s reserves 38-9. Belanger had 25 points to pace the Bulldogs, who also go 22 points from junior guard Katey Klucking.
• Record book watch. The Eagles have one player making moves inside the USI Women’s Basketball Record Books:
–Emma DeHart has jumped 14 spots to No. 29 all-time at USI with 797 career points. She began the year ranked No. 43 but has made the big jump during the first 10 games of the year thanks to a strong start. DeHart is six points away from matching Jennifer Donner for 29th and 21 points away from entering the top 25 all-time at USI.
• Magic Mark: 75 points. The Eagles are 422-77 (.846) all-time when scoring at least 75 points. USI is 295-28 (.913) since 1996-97 when reaching the 75-point plateau.
