EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball picked up its sixth consecutive win on Thursday night when the Screaming Eagles captured an 87-64 road victory at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville to move to 5-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Currently riding its best winning streak and best conference-play start since the 2021-22 season, Southern Indiana improved to 10-5 overall and 5-0 in conference action on Thursday. SIUE dropped to 3-14 this season and 0-4 in the OVC. Through Thursday’s games, USI still sits in first place in the OVC standings with three schools right behind at 3-1.
The competitive history between Southern Indiana and SIUE added another chapter on Thursday. The two sides matched each other through the early minutes of the opening quarter. With the Screaming Eagles ahead 11-10 six minutes in, senior forward Madi Webb (Bedford, Indiana) hit a mid-range jumper. Webb, who was making a return to her former stomping grounds after spending three seasons at SIUE before transferring to USI, tallied eight points in the first quarter. Later in the quarter, freshman guard Triniti Ralston (Louisville, Kentucky) made her presence felt on the court, poking away a steal that led to an open-court layup. Ralston ended the first 10 minutes with a buzzer-beating floater to give USI a 19-12 lead after one.
In the second period, SIUE closed the gap a little, but Southern Indiana ramped up the play. Freshman forward Chloe Gannon (Manchester, Tennessee) capitalized on a pair of good looks inside before Webb drilled a straightaway three-pointer to put USI up 26-18 with 6:19 left in the first half. Later, the Eagles went aggressively inside to earn successful trips to the foul line. USI’s defense held SIUE without a field goal in the final three minutes of the opening half. Plus, not only did USI take advantage of good post-play, but Southern Indiana knocked down its intermediate-range jump shots in the first half. Sophomore guard Ali Saunders (Depauw, Indiana) hit a tough turnaround shot in the last minute of the second period, leading to a 46-27 halftime lead for Southern Indiana. USI shot nearly 50 percent from the field in the first half.
The Cougars came out of the break with two consecutive buckets, but the Screaming Eagles were unfazed, as Webb answered with another jumper near the lane. Following solid defensive possessions by USI, the Eagles pushed their lead to over 20 points, 57-34, in the middle of the third quarter on a made trey by senior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana). Junior guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) was also active in the third period, draining a pair of shots as part of a steady performance in the game. Late third-quarter free throws and a triple from Saunders gave USI a 71-42 advantage entering the fourth period.
SIUE tried to find a spark with a 9-2 run to begin the fourth, but Raley and Southern Indiana responded. Raley went to another gear and was aggressive on the offensive end, converting a three-point play with seven minutes left. At the 5:47 mark, Webb added to her stellar outing with another make to increase the Eagles’ lead to 80-55. Meanwhile, USI’s defense held SIUE without a field goal for another extended stretch of over four minutes to seal the team’s sixth straight win.
Southern Indiana poured in 31 shots in 66 attempts for 47 percent from the floor in the game. USI cashed in six three-pointers and went 19-25 for 76 percent at the free-throw line. The Screaming Eagles set a new season-high with 54 rebounds while holding SIUE to 33 rebounds. Individually, Webb led all scorers with 18 points, which matched a career high that she previously set while in a SIUE uniform. Webb also notched her first double-double of the season by pulling down 10 boards. Raley recorded consecutive double-double games with 13 points and 11 rebounds on Thursday. Shafford also tallied 13 points, while Saunders posted 11 points.
SIUE was 19-64 for just under 30 percent shooting on Thursday, hitting eight triples. The Cougars were 18-28 for 64 percent at the line. SIUE had four players finish in double figures.
Starting next week, USI begins a three-game homestand. The Eagles will host Little Rock January 18 and Morehead State January 20 at Screaming Eagles Arena.
Tickets for the Little Rock and Morehead State games are on sale and can be purchased by visiting the USI Ticket Office online. For more information, call the USI Ticket Office at 812-465-1189.
