EVANSVILLE, Ind.—Five University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball players reached double-figures as the No. 20 Screaming Eagles breezed past Great Lakes Valley Conference foe Missouri University of Science & Technology, 99-73, Thursday evening at the Physical Activities Center.
 
After trailing 14-12 with two-and-a-half minutes to play in the opening period, the Eagles erupted with a 33-7 run, which lasted just over nine minutes, to build a commanding 45-21 lead.
 
Missouri S&T (8-12, 3-9 GLVC) rallied to cut the deficit to 16 with less than a minute to play in the first half, but USI closed the period with five straight points, including a buzzer-beating trifecta by freshman guard/forward Morgan Sherwood (Charleston, Illinois), to take a 52-31 lead into the intermission.
 
USI (19-3, 11-1 GLVC), which has won five straight games, saw its cushion shrink to 18 early in the third period; but a 13-5 run staked the Eagles to a 70-44 lead with less than five minutes to play in the quarter. The Eagles advantage eventually ballooned to as much as 30 points in the fourth quarter before USI settled on the 26-point victory.
 
Senior guard Tanner Marcum had 19 points, eight rebounds and five steals to pace the Eagles, who forced Missouri S&T into 24 turnovers in the contest. Junior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) added 18 points and four assists, while junior forward Morgan Dahlstrom (Grayslake, Illinois) added 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
 
The Eagles also got 14 points and seven rebounds from senior forward Hannah Wascher (Rantoul, Illinois), while junior guard Randa Harshbarger (Philo, Illinois) had 10 points and three assists. Sophomore guard Alex Davidson (Salem, Indiana) scored eight points, all of which came in the fourth quarter.
 
Senior guard Elsie Greenwood had 20 points to lead the Miners, who shot 48.2 percent (27-56) from the field. USI shot 50.7 percent from the field (36-71) and out-rebounded the Miners, 39-27.
 
The Eagles also outscored Missouri S&T 38-20 in the paint and had a 36-21 advantage in points off turnovers as well as a 15-8 lead in second-chance points.
 
USI, which saw its GLVC East Division lead improve to two games thanks to No. 9 Drury University's 83-72 win over No. 15 Bellarmine University, returns to action Saturday at 1 p.m. when it hosts Drury for Homecoming. The Panthers (20-2, 12-0 GLVC) earned their 12th straight win with their victory Thursday.