University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball begins the 2019-20 regular season Wednesday at 7 p.m. when it hosts No. 11 University of Central Missouri at Screaming Eagles Arena. Wednesday’s game marks the first-ever regular-season basketball game in the Screaming Eagles’ new facility.
USI is coming off a pair of exhibition losses to the University of Kentucky and Purdue University. Senior guard Ashley Johnson paced the Eagles with 12.0 points per contest, while senior guard Kiara Moses pulled down a team-best 5.0 rebounds per game.
Central Missouri (1-1) is coming off a 62-50 road win over Northern State University after falling to No. 18 Minnesota State University-Moorhead, 58-56, in its season-opener.
Wednesday’s contest will be aired live on the GLVC Sports Network as well as 95.7 The Spin. Live stats, audio and video are available at GoUSIEagles.com.
USI Women’s Basketball Headlines
• Eagles look good in spurts during exhibition losses to Kentucky, Purdue. USI Women’s Basketball had some positive runs during its exhibition losses to Kentucky and Purdue. The Screaming Eagles had a solid third quarter effort in the 80-44 loss to Division I preseason No. 13 Kentucky before jumping out to an early 7-2 lead in its 62-44 loss at Purdue. Senior guard Ashley Johnson paced the Eagles in both games, scoring 13 points against Kentucky and 11 against Purdue.
• Screaming Eagles Arena. The Eagles’ game against Central Missouri marks the first-ever regular-season basketball game in Screaming Eagles Arena. Screaming Eagles Arena hosted several basketball and volleyball camps this past summer and had its first official intercollegiate competition when USI hosted Evansville for an impromptu scrimmage on August 30. USI Volleyball played the first regular-season competition of any kind September 19 when it defeated Ohio Dominican in three sets to kick off the USI Invitational.
• Eagles begin regular season against tough opponent. The Eagles start the year against a tough Central Missouri team that has advanced to the NCAA II Tournament in each of the last three seasons, winning the national title in 2017-18.
• About Central Missouri. The Jennies, who returned eight players and three starters from last year’s squad that went 25-7 overall and 15-4 in MIAA play, began the 2019-20 season with a 1-1 mark. UCM opened the year with a tough 58-56 loss to No. 18 Minnesota State Moorhead before picking up a 62-50 road win over Northern State. Senior guard/forward Morgan Fleming averaged 14.0 points to lead the Jennies, while Nija Collier, the 2019 NJCAA II Player of the Year, chipped in 13.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest.
• Eagles begin 2019-20 with new look lineup. USI opens the 2019-20 season with a new-look lineup after losing six players—four seniors—from the 2018-19 campaign. The Eagles brought in four freshman as well as two transfers to bolster their lineup this season.
• USI enters 2019-20 looking for fourth straight 20-win season. The Eagles have reached the 20-win plateau in each of the last three seasons and four times in the last five years. USI has had at least 20 wins 12 times in program history and have reached the NCAA II Tournament in 10 of those 12 seasons.
• What’s back? USI returns five players and two starters, including senior guard Ashley Johnson and junior guard Emma DeHart, from last year’s squad. The Eagles return 33.9 percent (702) of their 2,074 points; 26.3 percent (301) of their 1,145 rebounds; 42.0 percent (178) of their 424 assists; 40.5 percent (109) of their 269 steals; and 27.8 percent (30) of their 108 blocks from last year’s squad.
• What was lost? Three All-GLVC honorees including first-team forward Imani Guy (transfer), second-team guard Alex Davidson (graduation) and third-team center Kacy Eschweiler(graduation). Last year’s senior class played in a combined 350 games, recording 1,916 points, 1,205 rebounds, 416 assists, 235 steals and 144 blocks during the previous four seasons; all while posting an 84-32 overall record and a 52-20 mark in GLVC play. Davidson finished her career ranked 42nd all-time at USI in career scoring (646); while Mikayla Rowan was 26th in career rebounding (405). Eschweiler tied for fifth all-time at USI in games played (115), seventh in blocks (82), 16th in rebounding (514) and 29th in scoring (788).
• USI picks up preseason ranking. The Eagles are ranked No. 18 by the Women’s Division II Bulletin Preseason Top 25 poll.
• USI tabbed for fourth-place finish in GLVC. GLVC Women’s Basketball coaches predicted a fourth-place finish in the GLVC for the Eagles in 2019-20. Drury was the unanimous top pick, while Lewis and Bellarmine were respectively predicted to finish second and third. League-newcomer Lindenwood rounded out the top five picks.
• Magic Mark: 75 points. The Eagles are 413-76 (.845) all-time when scoring at least 75 points. USI is 286-27 (.914) since 1996-97 when reaching the 75-point plateau.
