University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball has just one game on tap for this week as it hosts McKendree University Saturday at 1 p.m. at Screaming Eagles Arena. The Screaming Eagles are looking to add to their 4-0 start to Great Lakes Valley Conference play when they host the Bearcats, who are 1-2 to begin the 2020-21 campaign.
Saturday’s game is the first half of a men’s and women’s doubleheader at Screaming Eagles Arena as USI Men’s Basketball’s game against McKendree has been put back on the schedule after the Center for Disease Control (CDC) amended its COVID-19 quarantine guidelines from 14 days to 10 days last week.
How to Watch
While fans are not permitted to attend the games, they can watch free of charge on the GLVC Sports Network, which is available both you’re your desktop, mobile/tablet devices, as well as four over-the-top (OTT) platforms, including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Apple TV (4th Generation). GLVCSN.com is the official website of the GLVC Sports Network, while the GLVCSN mobile app is available for iOS in the App Store and Android on Google Play. Apple users also can use AirPlay with their Apple TV or some of the newer smart TVs. (GLVCSN FAQs)
Other ways to follow the action
USI’s games will be carried on the airwaves at 95.7 The Spin as well as online at 957thespin.com. Links to both the online audio as well as live stats can be found at GoUSIEagles.com. Updates also will be provided on USI’s social media platforms (@USIAthletics), particularly Twitter.
USI WBB Notes (12/8)
• Schedule change. The USI-Quincy basketball doubleheader that was originally scheduled for January 6 is being moved up a day to January 5 due to travel concerns.
• USI begins divisional play with two wins. USI Women’s Basketball continued its winning ways last week with a 63-49 win over Illinois Springfield and a 63-52 win over Lewis at Screaming Eagles Arena. Senior guard Emma DeHart paced the Eagles with 11.0 points and 4.5 assists per game, while sophomore guard Addy Blackwell chipped in 9.5 points and 3.0 assists per contest. Sophomore forward Hannah Haithcock also added 9.5 points per game, while leading USI with 9.5 rebounds per outing.
• Season leaders. DeHart leads USI with 16.3 points and 3.3 assists per game, while Blackwell is chipping in 11.3 points and 3.3 assists per contest. Haithcock is contributing 10.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per appearance, while Blackwell is averaging a team-high 2.3 steals per contest.
• Deeper look into USI-UIS. USI was held scoreless throughout the first five minutes of the game, but a stout defensive effort helped USI stay in the contest as it trailed 2-0 heading into the first media timeout. USI proceeded to go on a 20-2 run and led 32-13 at the intermission before an 8-0 run to open the second half put the Eagles in front, 40-13, removing all doubt about the game’s outcome.
• Eagles rally past Flyers with another strong defensive effort. USI held Lewis to just one fourth-quarter field goal en route to the 11-point win. The Eagles trailed 41-32 four minutes into the third period, but a 31-11 run throughout the contest’s final 16 minutes saw the Eagles hold the Flyers to just 2-of-20 (.100) from the field and 1-of-13 (.077) from three-point range.
• Speaking of defense. The Eagles currently rank amongst the top five in the nation in scoring defense as they have held their opposition to a league low 52.8 points per game throughout the first four games of the season.
• Turner gets first career start. Senior center Audrey Turner, who racked up a career-high five blocks in USI’s win over William Jewell two weeks ago, got her first career start in USI’s win over Illinois Springfield. She rewarded Head Coach Rick Stein‘s decision by scoring a career-high tying 13 points.
• Career highs. In addition to Turner’s career-high scoring tally, four other Eagles also posted career-high efforts. Haithcock had a career-high 13 rebounds against Lewis, while senior guard Ashley Hunter pulled down an NCAA career-high six rebounds against Lewis. DeHart matched a career-high with five assists against Illinois Springfield, while junior forward Ashlynn Brown dished out a career-high four assists against the Prairie Stars. (note excludes freshmen)
• USI ranks among Division II’s best in several categories. USI women’s basketball enters the week ranked in the top 10 of 10 different NCAA statistical categories. USI, one of 17 undefeated teams, leads the nation in free throw attempts and is second, nationally, in free throws made. USI ranks third in the nation in both scoring defense (52.8 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (.314).
• Roaring 20s. Senior guard Emma DeHart reached the 20-point plateau twice during the opening weekend after entering the year with one career 20-point game. USI had five different players reach the 20-point plateau a year ago, including DeHart and sophomore forwards Tara Robbe and Hannah Haithcock.
• Double-figures. USI has already had seven different players reach double-figures in the scoring column this year after having nine players reach double-figures a year ago. Eight of those players had multiple games with at least 10 points, while USI has already had three players with multiple double-digit games in 2020-21.
• About McKendree. Junior guard Sydney Diekhoff averages 12.0 points per game to lead the Bearcats, who are 1-2 overall, 1-2 GLVC, this season after going 12-16 overall and 5-15 in GLVC play a year ago. Senior guard Madison Jones is contributing 11.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game for McKendree, which suffered a 68-62 home loss to Indianapolis Saturday after earning a 62-55 road win over Missouri S&T Thursday.
• Last year (round 1). USI rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit to take the opener, 71-66, last December in Lebanon, Illinois. Morgan Sherwoodhad a career-high 16 points to lead the Eagles, while Jordan Heberg had a career-high 29 points to lead the Bearcats in the first meeting.
• Last year (round 2). In the second meeting, Audrey Turner racked up a then-career-high 13 points, seven rebounds and four blocks to lead USI to a 72-51 win at Screaming Eagles Arena in January. Turner had nine of those points in a dominating second-half performance that saw the Eagles outscore the Bearcats, 41-24. Ashley Johnson had 14 points and five steals to pace the Eagles, while Madison Hart finished with 13 points and 10 boards to lead McKendree.
• #STATSforSCOTT. The Bearcats, along with the entire GLVC, are mourning the loss of long-time McKendree sports information director Scott Cummings, who lost his battle with cancer last week. Cummings, who joined McKendree Athletics in August of 1999, was a “mentor to many and friend to all” in the words of McKendree interim AD Anthony Francis.
• Record book watch. The Eagles have one player making moves inside the USI Women’s Basketball Record Books:
–Emma DeHart has jumped nine spots to No. 34 all-time at USI with 713 career points. She began the year ranked No. 43 but has made the big jump during the first four games of the year thanks to a strong start. DeHart needs just three points to move into 33rd all-time.
• Magic Mark: 75 points. The Eagles are 420-77 (.845) all-time when scoring at least 75 points. USI is 293-28 (.913) since 1996-97 when reaching the 75-point plateau.
