University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball begins the 2019-20 campaign this week with exhibition contests at the University of Kentucky Wednesday at 6 p.m. (CDT) in Lexington, Kentucky, and Purdue University Sunday at 11 a.m. (CST) in Lafayette, Indiana.
This week’s exhibitions will be the Screaming Eagles’ only tune ups prior November 13 regular-season opener against the University of Central Missouri at Screaming Eagles Arena.
Both games will be aired on 95.7 The Spin, while live audio, live stat and video links, if applicable, can be found at GoUSIEagles.com.
USI Women’s Basketball Notes
• Eagles begin 2019-20 with new look lineup. USI Women’s Basketball 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).
• Eagles begin season with two exhibitions. USI is not only playing its first exhibition game since the 2017-18 season, it is playing two exhibition games for the first time since 2014-15. The Eagles’ trip to Mackey Arena Sunday marks the first-ever meeting between USI and Purdue in women’s basketball.
• 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.
