Game Notes (pdf.)
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team's rivalry with Kentucky Wesleyan College begins a new era Tuesday at 6 p.m. when the Screaming Eagles host the Panthers at the Physical Activities Center.
After facing each other 56 times in Great Lakes Valley Conference play, Tuesday's matchup marks the first time since the GLVC began women's basketball as a championship sport in 1983-84 that USI and KWC will meet in a non-conference contest.
The Eagles (3-0) are facing their third straight Midwest Region opponent from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference when they host their former GLVC foe.
Led by junior forward/center
Anna Hackert, the Eagles had five players score in double figures in their last outing, a 109-61 win over Salem International University Friday night.
Hackert, who is averaging a team-best 18.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, scored 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in the victory.
USI, which is averaging 97.3 points per outing, has five players averaging double digits in the scoring column.
Senior guards
Ariel Barnes and
Stephanie Carpenter are averaging 11.0 and 10.7 points per game, respectively, while senior forward/center
Nicole Hazemi and senior guard
Jessica Parker are each contributing 10.0 points per contest.
Kentucky Wesleyan (3-0), which is averaging 83.3 points per contest, is coming off an 89-77 road win over Oakland City University last Wednesday.
Senior forward Shelbi Tyra scored 21 points to lead the Panthers, while senior guard Karly Rhoads added 18 points.
Rhoads leads the Panthers with 15.3 points per outing, while Tyra is contributing 14.0 points per appearance. Junior forward Jordanne Gambill is third on the team with 13.7 points per game, while senior center T'Essence Phelps is producing 12.0 points and a team-best 11.3 rebounds per contest.
USI leads the all-time series 44-28, but is trying to snap a two-game skid against the Panthers after losing both meetings last year. Kentucky Wesleyan won the first meeting 68-59 in Owensboro before claiming a 74-67 win at the PAC in the second game.
