DETROIT—University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball overcame a sluggish third quarter to earn a hard-fought 67-55 Midwest Region victory over host Wayne State University Thursday night.
 
USI (2-0), which had seen a 13-point halftime advantage trimmed to a single digit early in the fourth quarter, got a momentum-changing three-pointer from senior guard Tanner Marcum (New Albany, Indiana) to quell the Warriors' rally and give the Screaming Eagles a 45-41 lead with just over nine minutes to play.
 
Junior guard Randa Harshbarger (Philo, Illinois) followed with a layup in transition off a Wayne State turnover moments later; then junior forward Morgan Dahlstrom (Grayslake, Illinois) hit a pair of free throws to cap off a 7-0 run that gave USI a more breathable 49-41 cushion.
 
Wayne State (0-3) answered with three straight points, but an 8-0 USI run moments later put the game out of reach for the Warriors.
 
All told, the decisive 15-3 second-half run saw scoring contributions from five different players, including four points apiece from Dahlstrom and Harshbarger.
 
The Eagles, who scored the first eight points in the contest, used big runs to end the first and second quarters. USI scored the final five points of the opening period to head into the second quarter in a 13-13 tie; then used a 16-2 run to end the half with a 33-20 advantage.
 
Wayne State outscored USI 20-9 in the third quarter to get back into the contest; but a 25-15 fourth quarter led to USI's second straight win to open the 2016-17.
 
Marcum led the Eagles with 17 points, two assists and five steals, while Dahlstrom added 12 points and a career-high 17 rebounds for USI, which held a 57-36 rebounding advantage as well as a 24-5 lead in second-chance points.
 
USI also got 13 points from junior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) as well as 12 points, nine rebounds and three steals from senior forward Hannah Wascher (Rantoul, Illinois). Harshbarger chipped in six points and a game-high six assists for the Eagles, who forced Wayne State into 28 turnovers.
 
Nastassja Chambers led the Warriors with 14 points, while Ajai Meeks had a team-best 10 rebounds.
 
The Eagles return to action Sunday at 2 p.m. when they host NAIA foe Hannibal-LaGrange University at the Physical Activities Center. Sunday's game starts a four-game homestand for USI, which welcomes the University of Alabama-Huntsville to the PAC Tuesday at 6 p.m. before hosting the USI Thanksgiving Classic November 26-27.