EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team tips off its 2008-09 regular season when it takes part in the St. Edwards University Shootout in Austin, Texas, this weekend.

The Screaming Eagles open the classic-style tournament Saturday at 1 p.m. against Abilene Christian University and finish the weekend Sunday at 1 p.m. against Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

In their only exhibition game of the preseason, a 93-49 setback at Indiana University November 1, the Eagles got an outstanding performance from junior guard/forward Abby Williams (St. Joseph, Illinois) and freshman forward Taylor Miller (Anderson, Indiana).

Williams, who was 5-of-7 from three-point range, had a game-high 18 points as well as five rebounds and three assists against the Hoosiers. Miller tallied 11 points and had a team-best four assists in her first collegiate action.

Sophomore guard Amie Newhart (Mulberry, Indiana) added eight points, two assists, and three steals, while senior forward/center Brittany Neuman (Huntingburg, Indiana) chipped in five points and hauled in a team-high seven rebounds in the loss.

Abilene Christian, which was 18-11 overall and 11-3 in the Lone Star Conference a year ago, returns four starters from last season's squad, including its leading scorer and rebounder in senior center Audrey Maxwell-Lively. Maxwell-Lively averaged 17.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in 2007-08 and earned LSC All-South Division honors.

Saturday's contest will be the second time that USI has faced the Wildcats of Abilene Christian in women's basketball. The Wildcats defeated the Eagles, 87-76, in the first meeting at the 1998 Disney Division II Tip-Off Classic.

Southeastern Oklahoma State returns three starters from a squad that was 15-3 overall, 6-6 in the Lone Star Conference, last year. Junior forward Destiny Brown led the Savage Storm with 9.5 rebounds per game in 2007-08 and is the squad's leading returning scorer after averaging 10.2 points per contest. Brown also was named LSC All-North Division last season.

Sunday's contest marks the first-ever meeting between the Storm and the Eagles in women's basketball.