EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball remained undefeated in Ohio Valley Conference play Saturday night after a thrilling 69-66 win against Tennessee Tech University at Screaming Eagles Arena.
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With the victory against the reigning Ohio Valley Conference Tournament champions in Tennessee Tech, Southern Indiana (9-5, 4-0) extended its overall winning streak to five and four straight wins to start the Ohio Valley Conference season. Saturday was USI’s sixth win in the last seven contests and the third straight home victory. USI also kept pace with its best start to conference play since the 2021-22 season in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and its best winning streak since the tail end of the 2021-22 campaign.
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Following Saturday’s action around the OVC, USI sits atop the league standings as the only team without a loss in conference play, as Eastern Illinois University fell to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock during the afternoon slate.
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The Screaming Eagles came out from the start and knocked down their first three shot attempts like in Thursday’s win against Tennessee State University. USI grabbed an early 7-0 lead that forced Tennessee Tech into a timeout nearly two minutes into the game. Sophomore guard Ali Saunders (Depauw, Indiana) made her first start of the season Saturday and quickly tallied five points for USI. Southern Indiana built a lead as big as 10 points halfway into the first quarter, 15-5, but Tennessee Tech chipped away. The visiting Golden Eagles outscored USI, 14-3, in the latter portion of the opening period to take a one-point advantage, 19-18, into the second stanza.
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Once again, senior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) played a big part in Southern Indiana’s early offensive success, reaching 10 points in the first 12 minutes of the contest. Raley fought her way to the foul line, hitting her first eight free-throw attempts. Later, Tennessee Tech pushed its lead to seven, 29-22. USI battled back to within two points, as Saunders connected on her second triple of the game. However, the Golden Eagles held USI scoreless for the last two minutes of the first half and used another run to take a 41-32 halftime lead.
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Out of the intermission, the Screaming Eagles got after it defensively and had a burst on the offensive end with a 9-0 run over the first three and a half minutes of the second half. Junior guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) highlighted the run with a tough three-point play off an offensive rebound to pull USI within two, 43-41. Later in the third period, Shafford canned a pair of three-pointers to knot the game up at 49. Defenses ruled in the last few minutes of the third, as the game remained tied at 49 heading into the fourth quarter.
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USI’s post-play led to a quick four-point lead at the beginning of the fourth period. Senior forward Madi Webb (Bedford, Indiana) had three crucial buckets early in the quarter that extended Southern Indiana’s lead to seven, 59-52, with 5:09 left. Over the next two and a half minutes, the Golden Eagles scored seven straight points to make the game all square again at 59. USI carried a three-point lead, 63-60, into the final minute before Saunders drilled a clutch triple to increase the Screaming Eagles’ advantage to six. USI cashed in on the necessary free throws in the final seconds to close out the fifth straight victory, as the Screaming Eagles outscored Tennessee Tech, 37-25, in the second half.
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As a team, Southern Indiana shot 37.7 percent overall (20-53), including six three-pointers. USI’s effort in getting to the foul line led to team season highs of 23 makes and 31 attempts at the stripe. Southern Indiana outrebounded Tennessee Tech, 45-33, and flipped the battle on the offensive glass during the contest.
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Individually, USI was led in scoring by Shafford, who dialed in 16 points and a new career-best 15 rebounds after a career-high 26 points on Thursday. For Shafford, the junior reached double figures scoring for a 12th consecutive outing this season, her best such streak in a USI uniform, and the guard posted her eighth career double-double and the third of the year. Raley also registered a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards. Saturday was the first time two Screaming Eagles recorded a double-double in the same game since January 7, 2023, when Shafford and former USI forward Hannah Haithcock did so against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
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On Saturday, Saunders and Webb also had notable performances. Saunders notched a season-high 12 points with five rebounds and seven assists, a new individual best for the Screaming Eagles this season. Webb also put up a dozen points with five caroms. Plus, redshirt senior guard Addy Blackwell (Bloomington, Indiana) added eight points.
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Tennessee Tech (6-9, 1-3) was held to 35.5 percent (22-62) from the floor with only two made treys. The Golden Eagles also spent significant time at the free-throw line, going 20-25 for 80 percent. Tennessee Tech was led in scoring by senior forward Kiera Hill with 18 points. Preseason OVC Player of the Year and graduate guard Maaliya Owens was limited to nine points.
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The Screaming Eagles will get set for a single game next week, as USI will hit the road Thursday for a 5 p.m. tilt at SIUE. Thursday’s contest will be available to watch with a subscription to ESPN+.
