The University of Southern Indiana women’s basketball team begins Great Lakes Valley Conference play this week when it hosts McKendree University Thursday at 5:15 p.m. and the University of Illinois Springfield Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Physical Activities Center.

USI (4-1, 0-0 GLVC) went 2-0 last week, posting wins over Alice Lloyd College (82-45) and West Virginia State University (71-65) at the PAC.

Junior forward Hannah Wascher (Rantoul, Illinois) averaged 21.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game to lead the Screaming Eagles last week; while junior guard Tanner Marcum (New Albany, Indiana) and sophomore guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) contributed 13.0 and 10.5 points per game, respectively.

On the year, Wascher leads USI with 16.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest. She ranks fifth in the league in scoring and third in rebounding.

Grooms is averaging 12.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest, while Marcum is chipping in 11.6 points and 3.6 assists per appearance.

Junior guard Kendyl Dearing (Huntingburg, Indiana) rounds out the Eagles’ double-figure scorers with 11.4 points per contest, while sophomore guard Randa Harshbarger (Philo, Illinois) is dishing out a GLVC-best 7.0 assists per game. Sophomore forward Morgan Dahlstrom (Grayslake, Illinois) also is contributing 7.0 rebounds per outing, which is good enough for ninth in the GLVC.

McKendree (1-4, 0-0 GLVC), which is trying to stop a four-game losing streak, is led by senior guard Kacey Johnson and junior forward Emily Pusheck. Johnson is averaging 9.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, while Pusheck is chipping in 9.4 points and 1.2 blocks per contest.

USI defeated McKendree, 67-53, last year in Lebanon, Illinois, and leads the all-time series, 3-1. The Eagles are looking to maintain a perfect mark against Illinois Springfield after defeating the Prairie Stars, 70-58, in the 11^th all-time meeting between the two programs last year in Springfield, Illinois.

Illinois Springfield (3-2, 0-0 GLVC), which visits Bellarmine University Thursday, is led by sophomore guard Shelbi Patterson and junior forward Syerra Cunningham. Patterson is averaging 10.8 points and 4.6 assists per contest, while Cunningham is chipping in 5.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.

Following their GLVC contests this week, USI returns to non-conference play December 8 at 6 p.m. when it hosts Salem International University at the PAC. The Tigers are currently 0-5 and have lost all the previous four meetings to USI, including an 87-41 contest last year at the PAC.

All of USI’s games can be heard on WPSR 90.7 FM, while live stats, audio, and GLVC Sports Network video can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.

The opening weekend of GLVC play has several special promotions for the men’s and women’s basketball doubleheaders at the PAC. Thursday night for the USI-McKendree match-up, the first 300 USI students will receive scratch-off tickets to participate in halftime contest. Saturday afternoon for the USI-Illinois Springfield doubleheader, the first 300 USI students at the women’s game will receive a USI Athletics Santa Hat, in addition to an ugliest sweater contest at halftime, while the men’s halftime promotion is the WSWI Archie’s Relay Challenge.

University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball launches the 2015-16 Great Lakes Valley Conference campaign this week when it hosts McKendree University Thursday and the University of Illinois Springfield Saturday the at the Physical Activities Center. Game time for Thursday night against the Bearcats is 7:30 p.m., while tip-off on Saturday versus Illinois Springfield is 3:15 p.m.

Game coverage for USI Men’s Basketball games, including live stats, audio and video, is available at GoUSIEagles.com. The Eagle games also can be heard over the air on WEOA 98.5FM/1400AM and WPSR 90.7FM.

The opening weekend of GLVC play has several special promotions for the men’s and women’s basketball doubleheaders at the PAC. Thursday night for the USI-McKendree match-up, the first 300 USI students will receive scratch-off tickets to participate in halftime contest. Saturday afternoon for the USI-Illinois Springfield doubleheader, the first 300 USI students at the women’s game will receive a USI Athletics Santa Hat, in addition to an ugliest sweater contest at halftime, while the men’s halftime promotion is the WSWI Archie’s Relay Challenge.

This Week’s USI Men’s Basketball Quick Notes: 

Eagles go 2-1 over Thanksgiving. USI was 2-1 through the Thanksgiving week, posting wins over Kentucky State University (111-101) and Ohio Valley University (85-65) before falling to fifth-ranked Midwestern State University (86-69). Freshman guard Alex Stein and junior guard Jeril Taylorled USI with 18.7 and 18.3 points per game, respectively.

Double-doubles at the PAC for Taylor. Junior guard Jeril Taylor has been double trouble for opponents at the PAC with three double-doubles in the four games to start the homestand. He had 17 points, 10 rebounds versus Lees-McRae College; 33 points, 13 rebounds versus Kentucky State; and 15 points 10 rebounds against #5 Midwestern State. The three double-doubles rank third in the NCAA II.

Four in double-digits to start the year.  USI has four players averaging in double-digit to start the 2015-16 campaign. Freshman guard Alex Stein and junior guard Jeril Taylor are currently on top of the USI scoring column with 16.7 and 16.3 points per game, respectively, while senior forward George Edwards is third with 13.8 points per outing and junior guard Bobo Drummond is dropping in 12.0 points per contest.

USI picked to place 3rd in GLVC East. With the start of GLVC play, the Eagles are predicted to place third in the East Division during  2015-16. USI was selected behind Bellarmine University, which was predicted to win the division, and the University of Indianapolis.

USI vs. GLVC since 1992-93. The Eagles have been dominating in the GLVC since 1992-93, posting a regular season conference record of 337-96 (.778). Between 1992 and 2014, USI has had at least 14 wins 20 times, posted 16 or more wins eight times, and won seven regular season conference titles.

USI vs. McKendree. USI hosts McKendree for the 2015-16 GLVC opener and holds a 9-3 all-time series lead, despite falling last year in Lebanon, Illinois, 88-82.The Eagles lead the series at the PAC, 5-1, since 2000 and have a 3-1 advantage since the Bearcats joined the GLVC in 2012-13.

McKendree in 2015-16. The Bearcats of McKendree are off to a GLVC-best 4-0 start in 2015-16.

USI vs. Illinois Springfield. USI leads the all-time series with Illinois Springfield, 7-2, after defeating the Prairie Stars, 67-54, on the road in 2014-15. The Eagles are 5-1 versus the Stars at the PAC since 2000 and have won last two meetings.

Illinois Springfield in 2015-16. The Prairie Stars of Illinois Springfield are 3-3 to start the 2015-16 campaign. Illinois Springfield began the year 2-1, but has lost two of its last three.

University of Southern Indiana Volleyball announced the addition of three players for the 2016 season. Signing national letters of intent to compete for Head Coach Leah Mercer’s Screaming Eagles is 5-foot-8 outside hitter/defensive specialist Mikaila Humphrey (Floyd Knobs, Indiana), 6-foot-0 right side hitter/middle blocker Amanda Jung (Belleville, Illinois), and 5-foot-10 outside hitter Lindsey Stose (Elkhart, Indiana).

Humphrey is currently a senior at Floyd Central High School in Floyd Knobs, Indiana, where she competed in basketball and volleyball.

A member of three straight regional championship teams at FCHS, Humphrey played club volleyball for the Kentucky-Indiana Volleyball Academy. Her teams won three Junior Volleyball Association titles and posted a pair of top-five finishes at AAU nationals during her club career, including a second-place showing in 2014.

Jung is currently a senior at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Illinois, where has earned varsity letters in basketball and volleyball.

A two-time All-Mississippi Valley Conference honoree, Jung was named the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Athlete of the Week this past November after racking up 20 kills and a .430 attacking percentage in three victories. She was a member of three conference championship teams and helped lead MHS to a third-place finish in the Illinois High School Association Class 3A Tournament this fall.

Jung played her club volleyball for the Southwestern Illinois Volleyball Club, where she was a member of a regional championship squad in 2015.

Stose is currently a senior at Jimtown High School in Elkhart, Indiana, where she has earned varsity letters in basketball, softball, track & field, and volleyball.

An All-State and All-Conference honoree as a senior in 2015, Stose racked up 327 kills, 284 digs, and 48 aces in 2015 after recording 220 kills, 194 digs, and 98 aces as a sophomore.

Stose played club volleyball for the Northern Indiana Volleyball Association Magic 18u team in 2014 and was the starting outside hitter for the NIVA Force 17u team that finished third at AAU Nationals in 2013.

“We are thrilled to add these three to our roster,” Mercer said. “They will add the depth to our offense we need to make a push for the tournament next year.”

USI finished the 2015 season with a 21-11 overall record and a 10-8 mark in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.