EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball clinched its first-ever Ohio Valley Conference Tournament berth inside Screaming Eagles Arena on Saturday night behind a 75-58 victory against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
After missing out on the OVC’s postseason field of eight last season due to a tiebreaker, Southern Indiana became the first OVC program to claim its spot this season with its league-leading 11-1 conference record. Saturday’s win pushed USI’s overall record to 16-6. Following Saturday’s results, USI holds a three-game first-place lead in the conference standings. Additionally, Southern Indiana swept its pair of home games this week, marking the sixth OVC weekly sweep for the Eagles this season.
Saturday was Homecoming and Hall of Fame Night at Screaming Eagles Arena, and on an evening of celebration and welcoming back alumni, Southern Indiana got its largest crowd of the season of over 2,000 fans excited right away. USI started the game with back-to-back three-pointers within the first minute of action. USI led 8-0 before SIUE got on the scoreboard. Senior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) had a fast start for the Screaming Eagles, scoring seven of USI’s first 10 points. The offense then cooled as the Eagles led 12-4 with 4:30 left on the clock in the opening quarter. Southern Indiana grabbed an 18-12 lead at the end of the first quarter off a buzzer-beating jumper by junior guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana).
Defenses continued to make things tough for both offenses in the early minutes of the second period. However, Southern Indiana got the offense rolling by using its size advantage inside to add to its lead. Raley reached the 10-point mark just 13 minutes into the first half. Shafford drained a jumper to put USI up by double digits, 25-14, three minutes into the second quarter. Southern Indiana produced two double-figure runs that allowed the Screaming Eagles to build a sizable lead. Freshman forward Chloe Gannon (Manchester, Tennessee) paced the charge by the Eagles with 10 second-quarter points, as USI outscored the Cougars 23-9 and shot nearly 70 percent in the second frame to take a 41-21 halftime advantage.
Out of the intermission, it took nearly four minutes for Southern Indiana to find the bottom of the net, but back-to-back triples did the trick. Sophomore guard Ali Saunders (Depauw, Indiana) drained one of the treys before stroking through a mid-range jumper to give USI a 21-point lead, 49-28, midway into the third quarter. The Screaming Eagles tacked on to their lead with another pair of threes from Saunders and graduate guard Tori Handley (Jeffersonville, Indiana). Southern Indiana’s defense also remained tough, as USI held SIUE to 3-15 for 20 percent shooting for the third straight quarter. The Eagles carried a 59-31 lead to the fourth stanza.
In the first portion of the fourth quarter, Saunders canned another three, while Gannon added to her solid game. Gannon reached 18 points in the fourth, matching a career best. Southern Indiana led by more than 30 in the middle of the period, but the Cougars did not go quietly. SIUE shot for 60 percent and connected five times from long range in the fourth.
For the game, Southern Indiana was 28-59 for 47 percent shooting, knocking down eight threes. USI was also 11-15 for 73 percent at the foul line. The Screaming Eagles had 36 bench points and won the rebounding battle, 39-36. Gannon paced USI with 18 points, and Saunders finished with 13 points on a perfect 5-5 shooting night and 3-3 from beyond the arc. Shafford tallied nine points with 11 rebounds. Shafford had scored 10 or more in the previous 19 games. Raley chipped in 10 points in the game Saturday.
SIUE (4-21, 1-11) was held by Southern Indiana’s defense to only 30 percent shooting (18-60) with seven triples. The Cougars did go a perfect 15-15 at the free-throw stripe. SIUE had three players score in double figures.
