EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball begins its 2020-21 season Friday at 1 p.m. when it hosts Great Lakes Valley Conference foe Rockhurst University at Screaming Eagles Arena. The Screaming Eagles also host William Jewell College Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
How to Watch
While fans are not permitted to attend the games, they can watch free of charge on the GLVC Sports Network, which is available both you're your desktop, mobile/tablet devices, as well as four over-the-top (OTT) platforms, including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Apple TV (4th Generation). GLVCSN.com is the official website of the GLVC Sports Network, while the GLVCSN mobile app is available for iOS in the App Store and Android on Google Play. Apple users also can use AirPlay with their Apple TV or some of the newer smart TVs. (GLVCSN FAQs)
 
Other ways to follow the action
USI's games will be carried on the airwaves at 95.7 The Spin as well as online at 957thespin.com. Links to both the online audio as well as live stats can be found at GoUSIEagles.com. Updates also will be provided on USI's social media platforms (@USIAthletics), particularly Twitter.
 
Game Notes
• Eagles picked to win GLVC East Division. USI Women's Basketball was picked to win the GLVC East Division. The Eagles received 66 points and 10 first-place votes to edge Lewis, which snared five first-place votes for 57 points. Truman State was picked to win the Central Division and Drury was predicted to win the West Division.
 
• Speaking of Divisions. The GLVC is going to be split into divisions for the first time since 2017-18, a year that saw the Eagles win their second straight East Division title. The GLVC Tournament field will still be determined via the GLVC Points Rating System, with the top eight teams earning a spot in the eight-team field.
 
• What about the GLVC Tournament? Another change coming to the 2020-21 season is the GLVC Tournament location. The 2021 GLVC Tournament is going to campus sites, with seeds 1-4 hosting first-round games on March 2. The highest remaining seed will then host the semifinals and championship March 6-7.
 
• Coming back? USI returns seven players and three starters from a team that went 18-9 overall, 14-6 in the GLVC, and qualified for the NCAA II Tournament. The Eagles finished second in the GLVC Points Rating System a year ago, earning them the second seed in the 2020 GLVC Tournament.

• Returning leaders. Senior guard Emma DeHart (Indianapolis, Indiana) and sophomore forward Hannah Haithcock (Washington Courthouse, Ohio) return to lead the Eagles in 2020-21. DeHart averaged 11.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in 2019-20, Haithcock averaged 11.0 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest a year ago. Junior forward Ashlynn Brown (Perrysburg, Ohio) chipped in 6.4 points and a team-high 5.7 rebounds per appearance last season.
 
• Eagles snare NCAA Tournament berth. USI earned its 11th trip to the NCAA II Tournament. The Eagles were set to take on the No. 2 seed, Ashland, in the opening round before the Tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.
 
• Strength of schedule payed off. USI made the NCAA II Tournament with less than 20 wins for the first time in program history, and that was attributed to playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation in 2019-20. The Eagles' non-conference slate featured wins against Central Region No. 1 seed Central Missouri and South Region No. 3 seed Tampa, as well as road losses to Ashland and Midwest Region No. 5 seed Ferris State. In conference play, the Eagles earned a regular-season sweep of Midwest Region No. 8 seed Lindenwood as well as home losses to No. 1 seed Drury and No. 6 seed Lewis. By comparison, the Eagles had qualified for the NCAA II Tournament in each of the first nine seasons they had reached the 20-win plateau. However, USI missed the NCAA II Tournament in 2017 despite a 24-5 record and missed the cut a year ago despite a 20-9 overall record.
 
• In the GLVC statistical rankings. USI had six players ranked among the league's statistical leaders last year:
–Ashlynn Brown ranked 11th in blocks, 15th in defensive rebounds and 18th in total rebounds.
–Emma DeHart ranked 22nd in minutes played and tied for 27th in scoring.
–Hannah Haithcock ranked 15th in offensive rebounds, 25th in minutes played and 29th in scoring.
–Ashley Johnson was in the top 17 of six statistical rankings, including steals (5th), assists (5th), assist-to-turnover ratio (12th), free throw percentage (13th), minutes played (16th) and scoring (17th).
–Kiara Moses ranked 8th in steals.
–Audrey Turner ranked 13th in blocks.
 
• Roaring 20s. USI had five different players reach the 20-point plateau a year ago. Sophomore forwards Tara Robbe and Hannah Haithcock each reached the 20-point plateau, as did senior guard Emma DeHart. Guards Ashley Johnson and Kiara Moses, both seniors on last year's team, also reached the 20-point plateau.
 
• Double-figures. USI had nine different players reach double figures in the scoring column last year, with eight different players scoring at least 10 points in multiple games.
 
• About Rockhurst. Rockhurst was 10-18 overall and 4-16 in GLVC play a year ago. The Hawks lost their top two scorers from last year but return their third-leading scorer in senior guard Daly Sullivan, who averaged 8.9 points per game in 2019-20.
 
• Previous meeting. USI outscored Rockhurst 25-9 in the second quarter en route to a 77-67 win over the Hawks in Kansas City, Missouri. DeHart had 12 points and Haithcock added 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds in the win, while Ashley Johnson paced the Eagles with a team-high 21 points. Sullivan scored 14 points for the Hawks, who were led by Madeline Ronshausen's game-high 26 points.
 
• About William Jewell. The Cardinals, who visit Indianapolis Friday to begin the 2020-21 season, went 11-17 overall and 7-13 in GLVC play a year ago. Senior forward Kiara Bradley returns to lead Jewell after averaging a team-high 16.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Ainsley Tolson chipped in 9.4 points per contest during her rookie campaign as Jewell returns all five starters and its top six leading scorers from last year's squad.
 
• Previous meeting. USI survived a furious fourth-quarter comeback bid to clip the Cardinals, 79-78, last year in Liberty, Missouri. USI led by as much as 24 points in the third quarter but needed a last-second basket from DeHart to repel the upset bid. DeHart had a career-high 21 points to pace USI, while Tolson had 17 points and five assists to lead Jewell. Bradley finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
 
• Record book watch. The Eagles have one player making moves inside the USI Women's Basketball Record Books:
–Emma DeHart ranks No. 44 all-time at USI with 648 career points.
 
• Magic Mark: 75 points. The Eagles are 419-77 (.845) all-time when scoring at least 75 points. USI is 292-28 (.913) since 1996-97 when reaching the 75-point plateau.