EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball begins its Division I era and the 2022-23 regular season Monday against the Mighty Oaks of Oakland City University at 6 p.m. from Screaming Eagles Arena (
ticket information). The season-opening contest can be seen live on ESPN3.
The game can also be heard on 95.7FM The Spin (
http://957thespin.com).
An experienced group returns for the Screaming Eagles this season, featuring the return of 14 total players. There are 10 players of upperclass status with no freshmen on the roster.
USI enters the new season coming off a 23-6 record last season, a GLVC regular season championship, and a berth into the 2022 NCAA Division II Midwest Region Tournament. The Screaming Eagles' 23 wins were the most since USI achieved 26 victories in the 2017-18 season.
USI has been predicted to finish seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference by the head coaches and the athletic communicators.
Head Coach
Rick Stein heads into his 24
th season, accumulating a 411-237 record while leading leading the last 23 years. The three-time GLVC Coach of the Year earned his 400
th career win last January and led the Screaming Eagles to the GLVC regular season championship on the way to the program's 12
th NCAA Division II Tournament selection.
Senior forward
Hannah Haithcock (Washington Courthouse, Ohio) represented USI on the 2022-23 Preseason All-OVC Women's Basketball Team. Coming off a terrific junior season in 2021-22, Haithcock averaged 12.3 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per game, and shot 46.7% (135-289) from the floor. She also connected at the free throw line at an 80.5% (66-82) clip. Haithcock made 13 starts in 28 appearances on her way to earning second-team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference accolades for a second consecutive season.
Alongside Haithcock, USI has their main frontcourt trio back in the fold this season as the team's returning leading scorers. Junior forward
Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) and graduate student
Ashlynn Brown (Perrysburg, Ohio) also headline USI's post presence after averaging 11.8 points per game and 9.2 points per game, respectively. Raley also grabbed a team-high 5.2 rebounds per game, which finished just ahead of Brown's 5.0 caroms per contest. Sharp-shooting senior guard
Addy Blackwell (Bloomington, Indiana) leads the USI backcourt once again this season, coming off a 2021-22 season in which she shot 43.9% (47-107) from three. Blackwell averaged 9.2 points per game, pulled down 3.1 rebounds per game, and totaled 54 assists last season. Raley, Brown, and Blackwell also earned All-GLVC honors a season ago.
Oakland City has already begun its 2022-23 NCCAA season with a 3-1 start, including two early wins against Roosevelt University and Huntington University. Oakland City also picked up a win last time out on Saturday with a 94-82 win against Indiana University East. Junior guard Emilee Hope led the team with 19 points in the game. She leads the team on the young season at 13 points per game. The Mighty Oaks are coming off a 19-13 season last year, which ended in an appearance in the NCCAA National Tournament. Oakland City has its main nucleus back on the roster from last season. Graduate guard Taylor Dillard led the squad a season ago at 14.8 points per game. Junior center Jalaya Dowell led the post presence for Oakland City, collecting 10.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest.
USI leads the all-time series, 4-0, with the last meeting in 2005 being a 100-70 win for the Screaming Eagles. The first all-time meeting in 1999 was an 80-67 victory for Southern Indiana.
The game against Oakland City tips off a two-game homestand for USI to open the 2022-23 season. The Screaming Eagles will also be at Screaming Eagles Arena on November 11 for a 6 p.m. contest against Western Illinois University.
