Game Notes (pdf.) | USI Thanksgiving Classic Website

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team can record its 500th victory this weekend when it hosts the USI Thanksgiving Classic Saturday and Sunday at the Physical Activities Center.

USI faces the University of Saint Francis (Indiana) Saturday at 3 p.m. and St. Mary's University (Texas) Sunday at 3 p.m. In addition to the Screaming Eagles' contests, Bellarmine University will face St. Mary's Saturday at 5 p.m. and Saint Francis Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Eagles (2-1) are coming off a tough 93-67 setback to a red-hot Grand Canyon University team this past Saturday in Phoenix, Arizona. USI committed 22 turnovers as the 'Lopes turned those offensive miscues into 31 points.

Despite the setback, the Eagles are getting balanced scoring from their backcourt and some strong production in the paint.

Senior guards Amie Newhart and Lauren Meneghetti lead the Eagles with 13.3 and 12.7 points per game, respectively. Newhart is just 11 points shy of becoming the 11th player in school history to reach 1,000 career points.

In addition to Newhart and Meneghetti, senior guard Ellen Young and junior guard/forward Kristin Raker are chipping in 11.3 and 10.3 points per game, respectively, while senior forward/center Courtney Perry is chipping in 8.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per outing.

Young is leading the Eagles with 6.0 rebounds per appearance, while Newhart leads the Eagles with 3.3 assists per contest.

Saint Francis (4-1), which opens its Mid-Central College Conference schedule tonight against No. 18 Bethel College, is ranked eighth in the NAIA Division II Top 25 poll. The Cougars are led by junior guard Kayla Mullins, who is averaging 20.6 points per game, and senior guard Julie Seiss, who is chipping in 13.2 points and a team-best 7.6 rebounds per contest.

USI is 1-0 all-time against Saint Francis after defeating the Cougars, 76-61, last year in Louisville, Kentucky. Newhart led the Eagles with 16 points, while Young added 10 points.

The Eagles also are 1-0 all-time against St. Mary's after defeating the Rattlers, 76-66, in San Antonio, Texas, during the 1990-91 season. Like USI, St. Mary's is receiving votes in the USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll.

St. Mary's (2-2), which plays Abilene Christian University tonight before traveling to Evansville, won the Heartland Conference championship in 2009-10. Senior forward Kristen Williams leads the Rattlers with 10.8 points and 12.0 rebounds per contest; while junior guard Nicole James and senior forward Mareta Bailey are each chipping in 10.5 points per appearance.

Bellarmine (2-0) enters the USI Thanksgiving Classic on the heels of an 86-77 victory over No. 16 University of Charleston last Saturday. Junior forward Lauren Jones, the GLVC Player of the Week, leads the Knights with 24.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, while junior guard Allison Matheis is chipping in 18.5 points per game.