University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball looks to build on its 4-0 start to Great Lakes Valley Conference play this week as the Screaming Eagles visit Truman State University Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in Kirksville, Missouri, and Quincy University Saturday at 1 p.m. in Quincy, Illinois.
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 app also is available on Apple TV.
USI (12-2, 4-0 GLVC) is coming off an 84-79 win over Rockhurst University this past Saturday and a 57-39 win over William Jewell College last Thursday. It is USI’s first 4-0 start to league play since the 2009-10 campaign–USI has not started league play with five straight wins since 2006-07.
Junior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) averaged 18.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game to lead the Eagles last week, while senior forwardHannah Wascher (Rantoul, Illinois) chipped in 11.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest.
Grooms, who has at least 20 points in five of USI’s last seven games, ranks fifth in the GLVC with a team-high 16.4 points per contest. Wascher is contributing 12.5 points and a team-best 8.1 rebounds per game, while junior forward Morgan Dahlstrom (Grayslake, Illinois) is pitching in 10.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per appearance.
Senior guard Tanner Marcum (New Albany, Indiana) is averaging 10.0 points and a GLVC-best 2.7 assist-to-turnover ratio after recording nine points, three rebounds, five assists, and six steals in USI’s win over Rockhurst.
Truman State (8-6, 3-2 GLVC), which has won three straight games, is led by senior center Cassidy Clark, the reigning GLVC Player of the Week. Clark is averaging 15.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per contest for the Bulldogs, who defeated the Eagles, 60-42, at the Physical Activities Center a year ago.
Quincy (4-11, 1-4 GLVC) is led by senior guard Nikia Edom’s 11.7 points per game. Junior forward Anika Webster is chipping in 11.5 points and a team-best 5.0 rebounds per game for the Lady Hawks, who lost seven of their first eight games to begin the year.
Following USI’s trip to Truman and Quincy, the Eagles return home for games against No. 4 Bellarmine (Monday), the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (January 19) and No. 19 Lewis University (January 21).
USI Women’s Basketball Notes
- Eagles resume GLVC play with two wins.USI Women’s Basketball resumed GLVC play with a 57-39 win over William Jewell and an 84-79 victory over Rockhurst last week. Junior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms averaged 18.5 points and 5.5 rebounds to lead the Screaming Eagles, while senior forwardHannah Waschercontributed 11.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest.
- Strong start to GLVC play. The Eagles are off to a 4-0 start to GLVC play for the first time since the 2009-10 season. USI has not opened league play with five straight wins since 2006-07.
- Block party.USI racked up a season-high 11 blocks in its win over Rockhurst after recording 10 blocks in its win over William Jewell two days prior. While USI had not reached double-digit blocks in a game since February 1, 2014, the last time USI had double-digit blocks in back-to-back games was during the 1995-96 season, which also was the last time USI recorded double-digit blocks twice in the same year. The Eagles followed a 15-block effort against Northern Kentucky January 4, 1996, with a 16-block effort against Bellarmine two days later. USI finished the year with three games with double-digit block totals.
- Stein earns 300th win in 500th game.Head Coach Rick Steinearned his 300th career win in his 500th career game at the helm of the Screaming Eagles with USI’s 57-39 win over William Jewell. Stein, the all-time winningest coach in program history, has been a part of 460 victories during his 26 years at USI, including 159 in eight seasons as an assistant coach for the Eagles.
- Busy slate.Starting with Truman State, the Eagles will play five games in a 10-day span. That includes bouts against nationally-ranked Bellarmine and Lewis.
- Grooms continues to be headache for opposing defenses.Junior guard/forward Kaydie Groomshas reached the 20-point plateau in five of USI’s last seven games and a team-best seven times this season. She currently ranks fifth in the GLVC with 16.4 points per contest.
- Marcum leads GLVC in assist-to-turnover ratio.Senior guard Tanner Marcumleads the GLVC with her 2.7 assist-to-turnover ratio. The next closest player to Marcum in the GLVC has a 1.8 assist-to-turnover ratio.
- Harshbarger becomes scoring threat.Junior guard Randa Harshbargerbecame a scoring threat last week as she had back-to-back season highs against William Jewell and Rockhurst. After scoring eight points against the Cardinals, she racked up 11 points in USI’s win over Rockhurst.
- USI in statistical rankings.USI begins the week leading the GLVC in 10 statistical rankings and is in the top six of 18 GLVC statistical categories. The Eagles also rank in the top 25 of 11 NCAA Division II statistical rankings.
- Scouting the opposition (Truman State).Senior center Cassidy Clark, the reigning GLVC Player of the Week, is averaging 15.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per game to lead the Bulldogs, who have won their last three games. It marks the second straight week USI will go up against the reigning GLVC Player of the Week after facing William Jewell’s Maddie Nelson last Thursday.
- Last year against Truman.USI made just six second-half field goals in a 60-42 loss to Truman last year. The Bulldogs used a 7-2 run late in the second quarter to build a four-point halftime lead; then outscored the Eagles 17-7 to go up by 14 heading into the final period.
- Scouting the opposition (Quincy).Senior guard Nikia Edom averages 11.7 points per game to lead the Lady Hawks, who lost seven of their first eight games. Junior forward Anika Webster is chipping in 11.5 points and a team-high 5.0 rebounds per game.
- Last year against Quincy.Quincy drained 14 three-pointers and took advantage of 21 USI turnovers en route to a 78-65 win over the Eagles. USI fought back from a late 22-point deficit, using a 10-0 fourth-quarter run to get within 11 points with less than four minutes to play; but back-to-back three-pointers by Nikia Edom quelled the Eagles’ surge.
- Record book watch.Senior guard Tanner Marcumand junior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms are both looking to climb up the scoring record book at USI. Marcum is 19th all-time with 863 career points, while Grooms is 27th with 798 career points.
