ST. LOUIS—Sophomore guard Tanner Marcum (New Albany, Indiana) sank her first six shots from the field as the University of Southern Indiana women's basketball team used a fast start to defeat host Maryville University, 82-66, in a Great Lakes Valley Conference contest Saturday afternoon.

USI (20-5, 12-3 GLVC), which clinched a bye in the first round of the GLVC Tournament with its win and Quincy University's loss to Saint Joseph's College Saturday, connected on six of its first seven shots from the field as it raced out to a 15-3 advantage five minutes into the contest.

Marcum, who scored nine straight points for the Screaming Eagles during their early run, recorded 17 of her career-high 26 points in the first half as USI, which shot 53.3 percent from the field in the first period, went into the break with a comfortable 42-30 halftime advantage.

Maryville (13-11, 7-8 GLVC) trimmed USI's lead to eight on several occasions in the second half; but each time the Saints looked like they were poised to make a rally, the Eagles would respond with either a three-pointer or a three-point play to push their lead back to double digits.

Marcum's three-pointer with just over 15 minutes to play in the contest was one of those occasions, giving USI a 51-40 advantage. Senior guard Mariah Nimmo (Groveland, Illinois) had an old-fashioned three-point play with 12:37 to play to stymie another Maryville rally.

The Saints' final surge came with just under six minutes to play, but an old-fashioned three-point play by senior forward/center Mary O'Keefe (Edwardsville, Illinois) gave the Eagles a double-digit lead (68-57) that they would not relinquish.

USI, which reached the 20-win plateau for the ninth time in program history, eventually increased its lead to as many as 18 before settling on the 16-point victory.

Free throw shooting, especially late in the game, helped the Eagles stave off the Saints. USI, which was 30-of-34 from the charity stripe for the game, went 9-of-11 from the free throw line in the final six minutes of the contest.

Including Marcum, who was 10-of-14 from the field and 3-of-5 from three-point range, the Eagles had three players finish in double figures in the scoring column.

Senior forward/center Anna Hackert (Evansville, Indiana) finished with 17 points, 12 rebounds, and three steals, while O'Keefe finished with 10 points, seven of which came in the final 20 minutes. Hackert's double-double, the 42nd of her career, was her 17th of the season, pushing her past Africa Sherrod for the most in a single-season in program history.

The Eagles also got nine points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals from senior guard Autumn Miller (Louisville, Kentucky) as well as six points and seven rebounds from senior forward/center Cayla Herbst (Glen Ellyn, Illinois).

USI, which has won six straight games, returns to action Thursday at 5:15 p.m. when it hosts the University of Indianapolis in its annual Play4Kay game at the Physical Activities Center. The Eagles will wear their pink uniforms to help raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer.