The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team is making its final preparations for its trip to Cancun, Mexico, to compete in the Torneo Cancun De Basquetbol. The Screaming Eagles, which will leave Evansville Thursday afternoon, will take on Assumption College at 5 p.m. Sunday, December 21, and #19 Arkansas Tech University at 7 p.m. Monday, December 22.
USI (5-2 overall, 2-2 GLVC) is looking to "right its ship" after a tough loss to Quincy University earlier this month. The Eagles trailed from start to finish as they were on the receiving end of a 66.7 percent shooting performance.
Despite their loss, the Eagles have showed tremendous improvement throughout the first seven games of the season. They are averaging 79.1 points per game in 2003-04, compared to just 68.6 points per outing in 2002-03.
Two reasons for their offensive success this season are the Eagles' abilities to connect from long range and convert their free throws. USI is shooting 42 percent from behind the arc and 76.2 percent from the charity stripe.
To put those figures into perspective, the school-record for three-point percentage in a single season is 38.4 percent while the school-record for free throw percentage is 70.9 percent.
Leading the Eagles from the outside and at the line is junior guard
Jamie Truitt (Owensboro, Kentucky) and senior guard/forward
Shannon Wells (Merrillville, Indiana). Truitt is averaging a team-high 15.7 points and has connected on a team-leading 17 three pointers.
Wells has been automatic from the line as she has connected on 82 percent (41-50) of her free throw attempts. She is averaging 13.1 points per game and 16.8 points per game as a starter.
One bright spot for USI in its loss to Quincy was the offensive output of junior center
Andrea Engleking (Charlottsville, Indiana). Engleking scored a USI career-high 12 points in the loss.
Prior to playing the Eagles, Assumption and Arkansas Tech will play each other Saturday, December 20. Assumption flies south with a 6-3 record, while Arkansas Tech enters its final game with a 4-1 record before heading to Cancun.
Leading the Assumption Greyhounds is senior forwards Katelyn Dwyer and Michelle Towne. Dwyer is averaging a team-high 18.2 points per game, while Towne is adding 12.9 points and a team-high 11.1 rebounds per contest.
ATU, which will play the University of North Alabama Tuesday night, is led by sophomore forward Sarah Hart and senior forward Emily Walker. Hart leads the Golden Suns with 19.6 points per game, while Walker is averaging 10.5 points and a team-high 5.3 rebounds per outing.
After their trip to Cancun, the Eagles will return to the friendly confines of the Physical Activities Center to take on the University of Illinois-Springfield Monday, December 29. They will open their GLVC home schedule Friday, January 2, when they host Lewis University.
