NASHVILLE – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball fought back from an 11-point deficit to gut out a 72-67 road victory at Tennessee State University on Saturday afternoon, giving the Screaming Eagles an Ohio Valley Conference road swing sweep and the team’s fourth win in a row.
 
Coming off a thrilling overtime victory at Tennessee Tech University on Thursday, USI Women’s Basketball (13-4, 7-1 OVC) finished off its third OVC weekly sweep of the conference season. Saturday was USI’s first win at Tennessee State (3-14, 2-6 OVC) since the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, which was USI’s first year competing at the Division-I level. Plus, Saturday’s triumph kept the Screaming Eagles at the top of the OVC standings alongside Western Illinois University.
 
Saturday’s contest was highlighted by senior guard Ali Saunders‘ 29-point performance, which is her second-best scoring output in a USI uniform behind her career-high 35 points from earlier this season at home against Morehead State University. Saunders’ 29 points marked her second consecutive 20-point effort, the fourth time scoring 20-plus in the last five games, and the fifth time dropping 20 or more in OVC play. The guard scored 23 of her 29 points in the second half on Saturday. The senior was 9-17 from the floor with a pair of three-pointers and went a perfect 9-9 at the free-throw line. Saunders also corralled five rebounds.
 
Another notable performance came from junior guard Shannon Blacher, who notched 14 points on 6-12 shooting for her second double-digit scoring game out of the last three outings. Blacher helped USI chip away at Tennessee State during the middle of the game and hit a big three in the fourth quarter. Junior forward Chloe Gannon posted 10 points and 10 boards for her second double-double of the season. Junior guard Sophia Loden also had 10 points with nine rebounds, coming up a rebound shy toward an eighth double-double on the year.
 
As a team, USI shot 38 percent (24-63) overall with four three-pointers and went a perfect 100 percent at the foul line with 20 makes in 20 attempts. The last time USI went perfect at the free-throw line with at least 15 attempts was February 9, 2023, at Tennessee Tech (18-18). The last time the Eagles were 100 percent at the foul line with at least 20 attempts was January 16, 2014, against Saint Joseph’s College (22-22). The Eagles also won the rebounding battle on Saturday, 44-35.
 
Tennessee State, which had three double-figure scorers on Saturday, shot 37 percent (23-62) from the floor and 38 percent (8-21) from beyond the arc. The Tigers were 13-16 for 81 percent at the charity stripe.
 
In a back-and-forth start to Saturday’s contest, Blacher and Gannon each scored a pair of field goals in the early minutes. However, Tennessee State led 10-8 through the first five minutes. After the Tigers built a 15-10 lead late in the first period, USI finished with a 7-0 run to lead 17-15 at the end of the opening quarter.
 
Tennessee State jumped out in front early on in the second quarter, but Blacher scored a layup to knot the game at 19 at the 7:33 mark of the frame. The Tigers then went on an 8-0 run to grab a 27-19 lead. Despite a three-point play by Blacher later in the second, Tennessee State pushed its lead to double figures, 35-24, with 1:49 left in the first half. Saunders tallied a couple of makes from the floor down the stretch of the second quarter to help bring USI within seven, 35-28, at halftime.
 
Out of the break, Loden and Gannon scored in back-to-back possessions for USI to bring the Screaming Eagles within one possession, 35-32. The Tigers responded and pushed their lead back to eight, 40-32. However, the Eagles had an answer themselves. Saunders helped spark a 12-0 USI run, scoring eight points during the run to propel the Screaming Eagles in front, 44-40, with three minutes remaining in the third quarter. Tennessee State closed back in, but Saunders remained in control with her second three-point play of the period. USI led by one, 49-48, through 30 minutes of action.
 
The seesaw battle continued into the start of the fourth quarter, as Saunders continued to assert her scoring ability for the Screaming Eagles. With USI up by two, 59-57, and less than five minutes left, Loden scored inside to give the Eagles a two-possession advantage.  USI’s lead later grew to five after vital free throws from Loden. The Tigers fought back to tie the game at 65 with two minutes to go. Seconds later, Saunders had the answer with another three-point play. USI cashed in on late free throws to seal the gutsy road win and complete the road swing sweep.
 
The Screaming Eagles will return home to Liberty Arena for the start of a season-long four-game homestand next week. The homestand will stretch over the next two weeks until the end of January.
 
Thursday’s home game against Eastern Illinois University begins at 5 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear white to help white out Liberty Arena. The first 500 students in attendance receive a free t-shirt courtesy of Pepsi.