USI suffers first OVC setback at Tennessee State

NASHVILLE – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball saw its 10-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday after a 65-58 road loss at Tennessee State University, as the host Tigers dealt the Screaming Eagles their first Ohio Valley Conference loss of the season.
 
With Saturday’s results, Southern Indiana moved to 14-6 overall and 9-1 in the OVC, while Tennessee State moved back above the OVC postseason bubble line with its fourth conference victory. Through Saturday’s action around the league, USI remains in first place by two games over the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
 
Saturday’s game in Nashville, Tennessee saw an initial struggle by both teams to settle in and find a flow to open the game. However, the pace of play picked up late in the first quarter. Southern Indiana trailed 8-4 near the halfway point of the first before making a small run to take the lead, 9-8, thanks to a three-point play from freshman guard Triniti Ralston (Louisville, Kentucky) at the 3:35 mark of the first. Seconds later, graduate guard Tori Handley (Jeffersonville, Indiana) banked home a three. With USI up 14-10 one minute later, Tennessee State ended the opening quarter on a 9-0 run to take a 19-14 lead.
 
With the game remaining a defensive track meet into the second quarter, Southern Indiana turned to its senior forwards on the offensive end. Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) scored a bucket before consecutive tallies from Madi Webb (Bedford, Indiana) helped put USI back ahead, 20-19, at the midway point of the second. The Screaming Eagles went on to grab a 26-21 advantage at the three-minute mark of the first half, but once again the Tigers made another run to retake the lead. Tennessee State finished the first half with a three-point buzzer-beater to lead at the break, 31-28.
 
To start the second half, USI attacked the lane to charge back ahead. Junior guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) got a nice look at the net early in the third quarter. Then Shafford and Webb cashed in consecutive triples within a minute of play to lead by three, 38-35, three minutes into the period. Ralston added a bucket before fellow freshman Chloe Gannon (Manchester, Tennessee) had two makes before the end of the third quarter. However, the pesky Tigers kept fighting, as the game was knotted up at 46 going into the fourth.
 
With the game staying neck and neck to the midway point of the fourth, Gannon came through once again with a layup to give Southern Indiana a two-point lead with six minutes left. Tennessee State then answered with a three to take a one-point edge. In the next possession, sophomore guard Ali Saunders (Depauw, Indiana) splashed a three to make the score 56-54 USI near the three-minute mark of the fourth. After a bit of an offensive drought for both teams, Tennessee State scored on consecutive possessions with just under 2:30 remaining. Gannon responded with a layup to make it a one-point game, 59-58 Tigers, going into the last minute. Unfortunately, the Screaming Eagles could not muster another basket, as Tennessee State finished off the game at the free-throw line.
Southern Indiana was 21-46 for above 45 percent from the field with four threes. USI went 12-13 for over 92 percent at the free-throw stripe. The Screaming Eagles were led by Shafford’s 15 points, while Gannon recorded 10 points. Four other Eagles scored seven points, and Raley pulled down 10 boards in the game.
 
Tennessee State shot just under 40 percent (21-53) for the game with seven treys. The Tigers were 16-19 for 84 percent at the foul line. Tennessee State had four players in double figures, led by senior guard Sanaa’ St. Andre’s 18 points.
 
For the Screaming Eagles, their best winning streak so far since transitioning to Division I and since the 2017-18 season came to a close at 10 games. USI had won nine in a row to begin the OVC schedule, which was a program best since the 1996-97 campaign. The streak also allowed USI to surpass its overall and conference win total from the inaugural D-I and OVC season last year. The overall and OVC streaks were also among the top 10 best active winning streaks in the nation before Saturday’s defeat.
 
Southern Indiana will return home to Screaming Eagles Arena next week for games against Eastern Illinois University and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Thursday’s game against EIU is a 5 p.m. tip, as USI Women’s Basketball will host the annual Play4Kay Cancer Awareness game. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to pink out Screaming Eagles Arena. Next Saturday against SIUE will be Homecoming and Hall of Fame Night starting at 5 p.m.