EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball looks to add to its two-game winning streak this week when it visits the University of Illinois Springfield Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and McKendree University Saturday at 1 p.m.
USI (12-11, 5-10 GLVC) enters the week looking to improve upon its Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament positioning. The Screaming Eagles are currently the No. 12 seed in the GLVC Tournament, but could move as high as the No. 8 seed by the end of the weekend with a pair of wins and some help.
The Eagles could clinch the No. 8 seed and a first-round home game by the end of the weekend with two wins and the following scenario: Bellarmine University defeats McKendree; both Rockhurst University and William Jewell College lose to Quincy University and Truman State University; the University of Indianapolis loses to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and Lewis University; Maryville University and the University of Missouri-St. Louis lose to Drury University; and either Maryville or Missouri-St. Louis defeat Missouri University of Science & Technology.
First and foremost are the Eagles rematches with the Prairie Stars of Illinois Springfield and the Bearcats of McKendree.
USI defeated the Prairie Stars, 79-64, at the Physical Activities Center in December after posting a 58-45 win over McKendree two days earlier.
Junior forward
Hannah Wascher (Rantoul, Illinois) had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Eagles against Illinois Springfield; while junior guard
Tanner Marcum (New Albany, Indiana) and sophomore guard/forward
Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) had 19 and 17 points, respectively, to lead USI against McKendree.
Wascher leads the Eagles with 13.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest, while Marcum and Grooms are chipping in 12.5 and 12.0 points per game, respectively. Grooms is averaging 16.8 points per appearance in USI's last six games.
Illinois Springfield (8-15, 2-13 GLVC), which has lost three straight games, is led by sophomore guard Shelbi Patterson and junior forward Syerra Cunningham. Patterson is averaging a team-high 9.7 points and 3.0 assists per game, while Cunningham is chipping in 8.8 points and a team-best 8.7 rebounds per game.
McKendree (11-14, 6-9 GLVC), which has lost four of its last five games, hosts No. 25 Bellarmine Thursday evening before welcoming the Eagles to Lebanon, Illinois. Senior guard Kacey Johnson and junior forward Ellie Pusheck are averaging 8.7 and 8.5 points per game, respectively, to lead the Bearcats, who have one of the league's stingiest defenses by holding opponents to a mere 56.6 points per contest.
USI leads the all-time series with the Prairie Stars, 12-0, and is 4-1 all-time against McKendree.
Both games this weekend can be heard on WPSR 90.7 FM, while GLVC Sports Network Coverage as well as live stats and audio can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.
