Game Notes
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team will attempt to shake off any rust it may have from a three-week layoff when it hosts Midwest Region foe Ferris State University Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Physical Activities Center.
USI (10-2, 2-0 GLVC) has won nine straight games, its longest winning streak since 2001-02, and is looking to improve to 11-2 for the first time since the 2006-07 campaign and just the second time since 2000-01—USI went 13-2 to open the 2000-01 season.
The last time the Screaming Eagles took the court they handed the University of North Alabama a dominating 91-62 setback. Sophomore forward/center Ashton Mertens came off the bench to lead the Eagles with a season-high 19 points, while junior guards Ellen Young and Amie Newhart added 14 and 12 points, respectively.
Young leads the Eagles and is eighth in the GLVC with 15.3 points per game, while Newhart is tied for 20th in the GLVC with 12.8 points per appearance. Mertens, who is averaging 11.0 points per game in USI's last five contests, is tied with senior guard/forward Abby Williams for the team lead with 5.3 rebounds per game.
The Eagles, who resume GLVC play January 2 when they host the University of Illinois-Springfield, leads the all-time series with Ferris State, 5-2, and are 3-2 against the Bulldogs since 2000.
Ferris State (2-6, 1-4 GLIAC), however, won the last meeting between the two teams, grabbing a 71-55 victory to end USI's eight-game winning streak during the 2006-07 season. The Bulldogs have lost three straight games, including a 94-74 setback to Hillsdale College in their most recent outing.
Junior guard Becci Houdek led the Bulldogs with 14 points and three assists against the Chargers. She is second on the team in scoring, behind junior forward Tiara Adams, who leads Ferris State with 11.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per appearance.
In addition to Illinois-Springfield (2-7, 0-2 GLVC), USI also hosts Saint Joseph's College (3-6, 1-1 GLVC) January 4 to conclude its season-long six-game homestand.
