Game Notes
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team returns to action Friday and Saturday when it competes at the Grand Canyon University/Crowne Plaza Tip-Off Classic in Phoenix, Arizona.
USI (1-0) takes on Minnesota State University-Moorhead Friday at 1 p.m. (CST) and Grand Canyon Saturday at 6 p.m. The games will be carried live over the airwaves on WPSR 90.7 FM, while internet coverage, including audio, video, and live stats, can be accessed at gousieagles.com.
The Screaming Eagles are coming off an impressive 81-71 victory over Midwest Region foe Wayne State University last Friday in which six players scored at least eight points, including four who reached double figures.
Junior guard/forward
Kristin Raker led all scorers with 20 points, going 5-of-8 from the floor and 9-of-10 from the charity stripe. Her performance marked the highest scoring output by a women's basketball player making their USI debut since Kennitra Johnson and Jamie Truitt went for 24 and 23 points, respectively, to open the 2003-04 campaign.
Senior guards
Amie Newhart and
Lauren Meneghetti each added 15 points, while fellow classmate
Ellen Young chipped in 13 points.
Minnesota State-Moorhead opens its 2010-11 campaign Friday against the Eagles. The Dragons were 18-10 a year ago and return three of their top five leading scorers.
Junior forward Angie Jetvig is the Dragons' top returning scorer and rebounder in 2010-11 after finishing third on the team with 11.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest last season.
Friday's contest marks the first-ever meeting between USI and Minnesota State-Moorhead, which competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
The Eagles' bout with Grand Canyon Saturday also will be the first time the two teams have met on the hardwood. The 'Lopes, a member of the Pacific West Conference, went 19-8 overall and 13-3 in the PacWest a year ago.
Grand Canyon (2-1), which received votes in the preseason USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Coaches' Poll, is coming off a 120-118 triple overtime win over No. 11 University of California-San Diego this past Sunday at the Disney Division II West Coast Tip-Off Classic. Senior guard Samantha Murphy, the PacWest Player of the Year last season, scored 49 points in the contest before fouling out in the first overtime period. She leads the 'Lopes with 31.7 points per contest.
Following their trip to Phoenix, the Eagles return to the Physical Activities Center November 27-28 when they host the USI Thanksgiving Classic.
