University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball takes on a pair of longtime Great Lakes Valley Conference rivals this week as it visits the University of Indianapolis Thursday at 4:30 p.m. (CST) at Nicoson Hall before hosting Bellarmine University Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Screaming Eagles Arena.
Both games this week will be aired on 95.7 The Spin as well as the GLVC Sports Network, while live stats, audio and video can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.
The Screaming Eagles (6-3, 2-1 GLVC) were 1-1 last week, falling to No. 1 Drury University, 94-69, before defeating Southwest Baptist University, 70-63. Senior guard Ashley Johnsonaveraged 19.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game to lead the Eagles last week.
Johnson currently leads USI with 13.1 points and 3.6 assists per contest, while junior guard Emma DeHart is chipping in 10.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Freshman forward Hannah Haithcock is contributing 9.3 points per contest, while sophomore forward Ashlynn Brown in adding 9.2 points and a team-high 5.1 rebounds per outing.
USI Women’s Basketball Notes
• Eagles end weekend on winning note. USI Women’s Basketball got 17 points from senior guard Ashley Johnson and freshman forward Hannah Haithcock and a late 7-0 run gave the Screaming Eagles a much-needed 70-63 GLVC win over league-newcomer Southwest Baptist. The game featured eight lead changes and seven ties before USI’s 7-0 run broke a 56-56 fourth-quarter stalemate.
• Third quarter sinks Eagles. A rough third-quarter led to a 94-69 setback in the Eagles’ game against No. 1 Drury Thursday. Johnson had a career-high 22 points, keeping the Eagles in the contest throughout the first half, but a six-point halftime deficit ballooned to 28 points 10 minutes into the second half as Drury outscored the Eagles 33-11 in the third period.
• Weekend leaders. Johnson averaged a team-high 19.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game to lead the Eagles last week, while her 2.5 assists trailed junior guard Emma DeHart’s team-best 3.0 assists per contest.
• Tough schedule. USI has had a tough schedule throughout its first nine games, with games against three nationally-ranked opponents. Seven of USI’s first nine opponents have posted winning records this season, while USI’s opposition has a combined 70-41 record in 2019-20. USI’s next three opponents have a combined record of 21-10, while only three GLVC teams currently have sub-.500 records.
• Double-figures. USI has had eight different players reach double figures in the scoring column this year, with seven different players scoring at least 10 points in multiple games.
• Johnson’s career week. Senior guard Ashley Johnson scored a career-high 22 points in USI’s loss to Drury. She came back to post her first-career double-double with 17 points and a career-high 10 rebounds in USI’s win over Southwest Baptist. She also had a season-high four steals against Southwest Baptist.
• Big rebounding effort. USI’s 53 rebounds against Southwest Baptist were a season-high, surpassing its previous high of 42 (Hillsdale). Four USI players—Johnson, senior guard Kiara Moses (8), senior guard/forward Morgan Sherwood (7) and freshman forward Hannah Haithcock (6)—recorded career rebounding highs in the win over Southwest Baptist, while junior center Audrey Turner recorded a season-high five rebounds.
• DeHart scores 15. Junior guard Emma DeHart had 15 points, five rebounds and a team-high four assists in USI’s win over Southwest Baptist.
• Haithcock posts career highs. Haithcock posted three career highs in USI’s win over Southwest Baptist, including points (17), rebounds (6) and assists (3).
• Sherwood reaches double-figures. Senior guard/forward Morgan Sherwood reached double-figures for the second time in three games when she scored 10 in USI’s loss to Drury.
• Brown leads USI in blocks, rebounds. Sophomore forward Ashlynn Brown had six points to go along with a team-high seven rebounds and two blocks in USI’s loss to Drury.
• Eagles go 8-of-10 in fourth quarter. USI shot 80.0 percent (8-10) from the floor in the fourth quarter of their loss to Drury. The Eagles were 3-of-5 from three-point range and 4-of-5 from the free throw line as USI outscored the Panthers 23-20 in the final 10 minutes of the game.
• Johnson perfect at FT line. Senior guard Ashley Johnson went a perfect 8-of-8 at the free throw line in USI’s loss to Drury.
• Blackwell leads USI in steals. Freshman guard Addy Blackwell had a team-high two steals in USI’s loss to Drury.
