Run spurs USI women's basketball to first victoryThe University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team used a 15-0 run to push past Kentucky Wesleyan College, 67-51, in its Great Lakes Valley Conference opener Saturday night at the Sportscenter in Owensboro, Kentucky. The Screaming Eagles, ranked ninth in the preseason WBCA/USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Coaches' Poll, improve to 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the GLVC while the Panthers fall to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the GLVC.

Both teams struggled, offensively, in the first as they combined for just 47 first-half points. The Eagles shot 44.4 percent from the floor in the first half, but 17 turnovers in the first stanza limited them to just 27 shots.

Trailing by two late in the first half, the Eagles put together a 9-2 run to finish the half. Freshman Ashley Green (Otterbein, Indiana), reeled off a pair of buckets in the last 28 seconds of the period to send the Eagles into the break with a 26-21 lead.

The Eagles came out gunning to start the second stanza as they ran off 11 straight points to take a commanding 37-21 lead with 16 minutes to play. Sophomore forward/center Megan Nelson (Clarendon Hills, Illinois) scored five of her 13 points during the run.

USI shot 59.1 percent from the floor and connected on 13-of-16 shots from the charity stripe as it cruised to its first victory of the season.

Senior forward/center Africa Sherrod (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) led the Eagles with a game-high 14 points and 12 rebounds while fellow classmate Sarah McIntosh (Cabery, Illinois) added 12 points, 10 of which came in the second half.

KWC was led by senior Kami Vaal and junior Brandy Reynolds, who each scored a team-high nine points.

The Eagles will travel to Louisville, Kentucky, to take on Bellarmine University this Monday, December 2, in an early-season conference battle. USI split in its season-series with the Lady Knights last season and will be looking to win its second straight on Bellarmine's home court. Tip-off is slated for 4:45 p.m.