University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball returns to action Wednesday at 6 p.m. when it hosts Kentucky State University at the Physical Activities Center.
USI (7-1) is coming off a pair of road wins to begin Great Lakes Valley Conference play last weekend. The Screaming Eagles began the week with a 66-40 win over McKendree University before earning an 89-62 win over the University of Illinois Springfield.
Junior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) averaged 17.5 points per game to lead the Eagles, while junior forward Morgan Dahlstrom (Grayslake, Illinois) chipped in 13.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per outing.
On the year, Grooms leads the Eagles with 14.9 points per contest, while senior forward Hannah Wascher (Rantoul, Illinois) is contributing 11.6 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds per appearance. Dahlstrom is chipping in 11.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, while senior guard Tanner Marcum(New Albany, Indiana) is averaging 10.9 points and 3.3 assists contest.
Kentucky State (3-5) enters Wednesday’s game looking to stop a four-game losing streak. Junior guard Brittani Rizzi is averaging 13.9 points per game to lead Kentucky State, which won 25 games a year ago and advanced to the NCAA II Tournament.
Wednesday’s game can be heard on WSWI 95.7 FM, while live stats, audio, and GLVC Sports Network coverage can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.
USI Women’s Basketball Headlines
- Eagles open GLVC play with two wins.USI Women’s Basketball went 2-0 to start GLVC play this past weekend. The Eagles began the week with a 66-40 road win over McKendree; then defeated Illinois Springfield, 89-62, to complete the weekend. Junior guard/forward Kaydie Groomsaveraged 17.5 points per game to lead the Eagles, while junior forward Morgan Dahlstrom contributed 13.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per outing. Senior forwardHannah Wascher averaged a double-double with 11.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest; while junior guard Randa Harshbarger and senior guard Tanner Marcum dished out 6.0 and 5.5 assists per game.
- Second quarter proves big for Eagles.USI’s favorite quarter throughout its first eight games has clearly been the second quarter. The Eagles are outscoring their opponents by an average of 22.0 points to 10.0 points per game in the second period this season. USI used a 24-8 second-quarter to get by McKendree last Thursday before outpacing Illinois Springfield, 26-13, in the second-quarter on Saturday.
- Big runs. USI benefitted from a pair of double-digit scoring runs in its wins over McKendree and Illinois Springfield last week. The Eagles used a 15-0 third-quarter run to clinch their win over the Bearcats last Thursday before going on a 16-0 second-quarter run to put the game out of reach for the Prairie Stars on Saturday.
- USI in statistical rankings.USI leads the GLVC in eight statistical rankings and is in the top five of 16 GLVC statistical categories. The Eagles also rank in the top 25 of 10 NCAA Division II statistical rankings.
- Quality minutes.USI has emptied its bench in six of its eight games this year and has seen all 13 players contribute in the scoring column in three of those contests.
- Margin of victory.Each of USI’s first eight games this season have been decided by double-digits. Of USI’s seven wins, six have been by at least 26 points, while their closest win was by 12 points over Wayne State. USI’s lone loss was an 18-point setback to Michigan Tech.
- GLVC openers. USI’s win over McKendree was its fifth straight GLVC-opening victory. The Eagles are 11-7 all-time under Head Coach Rick Stein in conference-openers, with the five-game winning streak marking the longest GLVC-opening win streak during Stein’s tenure.
- Win No. 600. USI Women’s Basketball earned its 600th win with its 83-37 victory over Alabama-Huntsville last week. The Eagles are 603-513 (.540) during their 41-year history.
- Scouting the opposition (Kentucky State).The Thorobreds look to snap a four-game losing streak when they visit the PAC Wednesday evening. Junior guard Brittani Rizzi is averaging 13.9 points per game to lead Kentucky State, which won 25 games a year ago and advanced to the NCAA II Tournament.
- 300.Head Coach Rick Steinis four wins shy of 300. Stein, the all-time winningest coach in program history, has been a part of 456 victories during his 26 years at USI, including 159 in eight seasons as an assistant coach for the Eagles.
