Eagles open GLVC Tourney play Friday against UIndy

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University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball opens the Deaconess/Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship Tournament Friday at 6 p.m. when it takes on the University of Indianapolis in the quarterfinals at the Ford Center.

 

The Screaming Eagles jumped two spots in both the Division II Media and WBCA Coaches’ Polls this week. USI is No. 17 in the Division II Media Poll and No. 21 in the WBCA Coaches’ Poll.

 

USI (24-4, 16-2 GLVC), which won the GLVC East Division by three games, enters the GLVC Tournament as the No. 2 seed, while the Greyhounds (16-13, 9-9 GLVC) were re-seeded to the No. 7 seed after their 66-48 road win over William Jewell College in the opening round of the GLVC Tournament.

 

The Eagles, who ended the regular-season on a four-game winning streak, capped off by an 88-81 win at No. 20 Bellarmine University last Thursday, earned a 58-47 come-from-behind road victory over Indianapolis a month ago.

 

Other quarterfinal games Friday include the No. 1 seed and West Division champion, Drury University, taking on the No. 8 seed, Maryville University, at noon; the No. 4 seed, Bellarmine University, taking on the No. 5 seed, Rockhurst University, at 2:30 p.m.; and the No. 3 seed, Lewis University, taking on the No. 6 seed, the University of Missouri-St. Louis, at 8:30 p.m.

 

The GLVC Tournament semifinals are Saturday at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.—USI would play at 8:30 against the winner of the Lewis-UMSL game should the Eagles win Friday—while the championship is Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

 

Tickets for the GLVC Tournament are $42 for an All-Tournament pass (good for all seven sessions); $32 for a flex pass (any two of the first six sessions); $18 for adults and seniors per session; and $8 for students (ages 6-17). Children five-and-under are free of charge.

 

All of USI’s games this weekend will be broadcast on WSWI 95.7 FM, while live stats, GLVC Sports Network broadcasts and WSWI internet audio can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.

 

USI Women’s Basketball Notes

  • GLVC East Division champs.USI Women’s Basketball won the GLVC East Division title by three games. It is USI’s first Division title since the Eagles claimed the East Division championship with a 12-6 mark in 2010-11.

 

  • Eagles end regular-season in style.The Eagles rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit to defeat No. 20 Bellarmine, 88-81, in their regular-season finale. Senior guard Tanner Marcumhad 27 points, six rebounds and five steals to lead the Eagles, while junior guard/forwardKaydie Grooms chipped in 21 points and five rebounds. Senior forward Hannah Wascher added 17 points and 14 rebounds, while junior forward Morgan Dahlstrom contributed 16, five rebounds and three assists.

 

  • Marcum nets another GLVC weekly honor.Senior guard Tanner Marcumearned her second GLVC Player of the Week honor of the season for her efforts in USI’s win 88-81 win over Bellarmine. She also earned the award for her efforts last month against Bellarmine, UW-Parkside and Lewis. Senior forward Hannah Wascher also earned the honor for her efforts at the Puerto Rico Classic in December, while junior forward Morgan Dahlstrom was a GLVC Player of the Week a year ago.

 

  • All-GLVC note. The All-GLVC awards will be announced Wednesday at 10 a.m. (CST).

 

  • USI wins 16 GLVC games. USI’s 16 GLVC wins in 2016-17 are the most since USI went 16-4 in GLVC play in 2001-02. It marks the second time in three years that USI has reached the 15-win plateau in GLVC play.

 

  • Eagles one win shy of 25-win plateau.The Eagles are just one win shy of reaching the 25-win plateau for the second time in three years and the sixth time in program history. USI has reached the 25-win plateau three times under Head Coach Rick Stein.

 

  • Midwest Region rankings.The Eagles were ranked No. 8 in the in last week’s NCAA II Midwest Region rankings. A complete list of the rankings can be found on page 13.

 

  • Eagles in the GLVC Tournament.The Eagles are making their fifth consecutive trip to the GLVC Tournament when they take on Indianapolis in the quarter finals Friday. It marks the third time in four years that USI has earned a spot in the quarterfinal round.

 

  • USI looking for fourth GLVC Championship.The Eagles are looking for their fourth GLVC Tournament title and first since 2002. USI won the GLVC Tournament in 1998, 2001 and 2002; and was the runner-up in 2015.

 

  • USI in the GLVC Tournament.The Eagles are 13-11 all-time in the GLVC Tournament, including 10-8 on a neutral site in the conference tournament. Of the 24 GLVC Tournament games USI has played, the Eagles have played just five games outside of Evansville.

 

  • Eagles vs. GLVC Tournament Field.USI is 6-2 against the remaining teams in the GLVC Tournament field this year and are 141-149 all-time.

 

  • USI moves up in Top 25.The Eagles moved up two spots in both the Division II Media and WBCA Coaches’ Polls. USI is ranked No. 17 in the Media Poll and No. 21 in the Coaches’ Poll. USI also is No. 17 in the latest Herosports.comDivision II rankings.

 

  • Another win streak.The Eagles bring a four-game winning streak into the GLVC Tournament. It is the fifth time this year that USI has won at least four straight games.

 

  • Marcum, Grooms reach 1,000-point plateau.Senior guard Tanner Marcumjunior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms became the 16th and 17th players, respectively, in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. It marks the seventh time in program history that USI has had two 1,000-point scorers (USI career only) on the floor at the same time and the first time since Anna Hackert and Mary O’Keefe in 2014-15.

 

  • Wascher puts up big numbers.Including two seasons at Parkland, senior forward Hannah Wascherhas racked up 1,895 career points and 1,134 career rebounds.

 

  • Scouting the opposition (Indianapolis).UIndy is coming off a 66-48 road win over William Jewell in the opening round of the GLVC Tournament. Junior guard Martha Burse had 29 points, while junior guard/forward Sydney Brackemyre added 15. Burse leads UIndy with 16.6 points per game, while Brackemyre, who did not play against USI during the regular-season, is averaging 15.3 points per contest.

 

  • Marcum leads GLVC in three statistical categories.Senior guard Tanner Marcumleads the GLVC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2), total steals (85) and steals per game (3.0).

 

  • Record book watch. Several players are in USI’s record books:

–Tanner Marcum is seventh in steals (168), eighth in made three-pointers (116), 10th in assists (225), and 12th in scoring (1,124);

–Kaydie Grooms is 17th in scoring (1,002), is 18th in blocks (46), and 28th in rebounds (384).

–Randa Harshbarger is eighth in assists (256);

–Hannah Wascher is eighth in blocks (67), 21st in rebounds (435) and 35th in scoring (700);

–Morgan Dahlstrom is tied for 19th in blocks (43), 20th in rebounds (436) and 41st in scoring (553).

 

  • USI in statistical rankings.USI begins the weekend leading the GLVC in eight statistical rankings and is in the top six of 17 GLVC statistical categories. The Eagles are ranked in the top 25 of 10 NCAA Division II statistical rankings.

 

  • Magic Mark: 75 points.The Eagles are 389-75 (.838) all-time when scoring at least 75 points. USI is 262-26 (.910) since 1996-97 when reaching the 75-point plateau.

 

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