EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team tips off its 2005-06 GLVC schedule with a league newcomer, the University of Missouri-Rolla, Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in Rolla, Missouri.

USI (4-3) has won four straight games after starting the season 0-3 and is looking to win its first conference opener in three seasons. The Screaming Eagles, however, must deal with a tough UM-Rolla squad that has opened the season with four straight wins.

The Eagles, who are still without senior forward Sabrina Brandon (Danville, Illinois), will have a few options to turn to this weekend. Sophomore forward Jasmine Baines (Jeffersonville, Indiana) has been USI's most consistent scoring threat throughout the first seven games, while junior guard Katie Theisenhusen (Muskego, Wisconsin) and freshman forward/center Jessica Grimaldo (Carmi, Illinois) have shown the capability to post big numbers.

Baines, who has scored in double-figures in a team-best six games this season, leads the Eagles with 13.3 points per game (ppg), including 15.8 ppg during USI's four-game winning streak. She ranks seventh in the GLVC with 2.6 steals per outing. Theisenhusen is averaging 11.4 ppg and 4.3 rebounds per game (rpg), while Grimaldo is posting 8.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest.

Quite possibly the biggest factor in what USI is able to do this weekend will lie in the hands of freshman point guard Keisha Collins (South Holland, Illinois). Collins is averaging 7.4 points and 3.9 assists per game and is fifth in the GLVC in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.86). Collins is averaging 5.0 ppg in USI's last five games.

"As a team we have come a long way in a short time," Head Coach Rick Stein said. "Our defense has been pretty strong from the beginning and has gotten better because we are doing a better job on the defensive boards."

UM-Rolla, which leads the all-time series with the Eagles, 2-0, is a well-balanced team that has four players averaging in double-figures. Senior guard Dosha Agnew leads the Miners with 12.8 ppg and 8.0 rpg, while freshman guard/forward Tamara McCaskill and junior guard Nicole Dierking are both averaging 12.3 ppg.

Following the Eagles' contest with the Lady Miners, USI will travel to St. Louis to take on the University of Missouri-St. Louis Saturday at 1 p.m. UMSL also has opened the season with four straight wins and hosts Kentucky Wesleyan College to start the GLVC season Thursday evening.

Sophomore guard Courtney Watts leads the Riverwomen with 12.3 points and 3.5 assists per contest, while junior forward Shelby Horgan is averaging a team-best 8.0 rebounds per outing.

USI leads the all-time series with the Riverwomen, 18-9, and has won four straight and nine of the last 10 in the series.

"It is never easy to go on the road in our league especially as a start to the season," Stein explained. "Both Rolla and UMSL are off to great starts and are both undefeated at home. Rolla seems to be a team that will push the tempo whenever they get the opportunity and their guard play is experienced and leads them in scoring."