Four University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball players reached double figures in the scoring column as the No. 10/16 Screaming Eagles surged past visiting Maryville University for a 75-50 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory Thursday evening at the Physical Activities Center.
Dressed in pink four their annual Play4Kay game, the Eagles used a 14-0 first half run to take control of the contest; then went on a 29-8 second-half run to seal the victory.
Senior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) had a game-high 20 points to pace the Eagles, who shot 54.1 percent (33-61) from the field and 64.3 percent (18-28) in the second half.
Grooms had nine points at the end of the first period and 15 at the half as the Eagles built a 34-23 halftime advantage.
Marryville (6-12, 3-9 GLVC) trimmed USI’s lead to six four minutes into the third period, but a quick 6-0 spurt that featured buckets by three different players put USI back in front by double digits (46-34) with four minutes to play in the third quarter.
USI (18-2, 10-1 GLVC) scored seven straight points at the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth to extend its lead to 55-38; then sandwiched a pair of 8-0 runs around a Maryville basket to build an insurmountable 71-42 lead.
Senior forward Morgan Dahlstrom (Grayslake, Indiana) added 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for the Eagles, who held the Saints to 28.3 percent (15-53) from the field and 21.1 percent (4-19) from three-point range.
Junior forward Kacy Eschweiler (St. Charles, Missouri) contributed 12 points and seven rebounds, while freshman guard Emma DeHart (Indianapolis, Indiana) chipped in 11 points thanks to a 3-of-4 effort from behind the arc.
The Eagles, who outscored the Saints 30-12 in the paint, got 25 points from its bench, including six from junior forward/center Mikayla Rowan (Brazil, Indiana). Rowan, who also had three points, scored all of her points in the 14-0 first-half run that broke an 11-11 tie.
USI returns to action Saturday at 1 p.m. when it hosts Quincy University for Homecoming at the PAC. The Hawks (7-14, 3-9 GLVC) suffered a 79-60 setback to Bellarmine University Thursday evening in Louisville, Kentucky, and have lost four of their last five games.
