Lady Eagles Rout Stars, Clinch 1st-Round Bye in GLVC Tourney
Seven University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball players scored at least eight points Thursday evening as the No. 24 Screaming Eagles defeated Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division foe University of Illinois Springfield, 85-57, in their Play4Kay game at the Physical Activities Center.
USI (22-4, 14-2 GLVC), which clinched a bye in the first round of the GLVC Tournament with the win, shot 47.9 percent (34-71) from the field and committed just five turnovers as it earned its second straight win.
The Eagles used a pair of 7-0 runs in the opening period to jump out to a 21-11 lead at the end of one quarter and a 33-23 advantage at the intermission. They used a 22-2 third-quarter spurt to build a commanding 55-27 lead and eliminate any chance of an Illinois Springfield comeback.
USI, which saw its bench outscore the Prairie Stars’ reserves 44-19, led by as much as 34 before settling on the 28-point victory.
Senior forward Tasia Brewer (Terre Haute, Indiana) led the Eagles with 13 points on a 5-of-5 shooting effort that included three trifectas. Sophomore center Kacy Eschweiler (St. Charles, Missouri) and senior guard Tanner Marcum (New Albany, Indiana) each had 12 points, while junior guard Randa Harshbarger (Philo, Illinois) chipped in 10 points and four assists.
Junior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) and senior guard Kendyl Dearing (Huntingburg, Indiana) each had nine points, while senior forward Hannah Wascher (Rantoul, Illinois) added eight points and nine rebounds. Grooms had a team-best four steals.
Despite being out-rebounded, 42-37, the Eagles held a decisive 30-12 advantage in points in the paint as well as a 10-9 lead in second-chance points. USI also drained 11-of-18 three-point field goal attempts.
Illinois Springfield (8-16, 2-14 GLVC) was led by freshman guard Tehya Fortune and senior forward Syerra Cunningham. Fortune finished with 10 points, while Cunningham had eight points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
USI concludes its 2016-17 home schedule Saturday at 1 p.m. when it hosts McKendree University for Senior Day at the PAC. The Eagles, who can win the GLVC East Division title with a win Saturday, will honor their five seniors—Brewer, Dearing, Marcum, Wascher and center Ruta Savickaite(Vilnius, Lithuania)—following the game.
The Bearcats (10-16, 1-15 GLVC) suffered an 80-69 setback to No. 23 Bellarmine University Thursday evening in Louisville, Kentucky.
