EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball travels to Ohio for back-to-back weekend games Saturday and Sunday. The Screaming Eagles will be taking on Wright State University Saturday and at the University of Cincinnati Sunday. Saturday's tip-off time at Wright State is 11 a.m. CT while the ball will go up Sunday at 1 p.m. CT from Cincinnati.
 
The games can be seen live on ESPN+ and heard on 95.7FM The Spin (http://957thespin.com).
 
The weekend double-dip of games concludes a season-long five-game road swing for the Screaming Eagles. The weekend slate is the only time this season that USI will play on back-to-back days until potential Ohio Valley Conference tournament play. USI is 1-2 so far on the current road stretch, falling to Murray State University and Butler University before winning last Saturday at Eastern Michigan University. The win at EMU also put USI at 1-2 against Mid-American Conference schools this season.
 
The Screaming Eagles beat Eastern Michigan last Saturday 66-60, winning a tight back-and-forth contest where the lead changed six times and the largest lead was nine. USI was outscored by EMU 23-14 in the third quarter before USI rallied back to outscore EMU 21- 13 in the fourth period to close out a team-effort win.
 
Junior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) recorded her second career double-double against EMU, tallying 17 points and 16 rebounds in the win. Raley extended her streak of scoring in double figures in every game this season for USI. Her performance at Eastern Michigan in addition to leading USI with 11 points at Butler last week led to a second OVC Player of the Week honor for Raley this week. Raley averaged 14 points and 9.5 rebounds per game last week. Raley's 16 rebounds at Eastern Michigan marked the first time a Screaming Eagle pulled down 15 or more rebounds in a game since Kacy Eschweiler tallied 22 rebounds against Ferris State University on November 16, 2018. Raley previously was named OVC Player of the Week on November 29 after a career-high 23 points at home against Bethel University (Ind.). Raley leads USI in scoring this season at 15.4 points per contest.
 
Senior forward Hannah Haithcock (Washington Courthouse, Ohio) also had a strong game at Eastern Michigan last Saturday. Haithcock posted 17 points and six rebounds off the bench. 11 of her 17 points came in the second half and down the stretch of the contest. It was not the first time this season that the senior caught fire in the second half. In Southern Indiana's second win of the season against Western Illinois University, Haithcock filled the scoring column in the second half against the Leathernecks with 20 points, scoring 12 in the fourth quarter alone. She finished with a career-tying 22 points against Western Illinois back on November 11. Haithcock is second on the team with 13.5 points per outing.
 
Sophomore guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) also finished in double figures in USI's big road win at Eastern Michigan last weekend. Shafford tallied 16 points, seven rebounds, and three steals. The 5'9" guard has started every game, racking up the minutes this season. She has scored 10 or more points in six games this season, and although her scoring stands out, her work on the glass has been even more impressive. Shafford paces USI with eight boards a game, securing 10 or more caroms in three games this season. The Linton, Indiana native also picked up her first two career double-doubles earlier this season. Shafford is averaging 4.5 more rebounds per game compared to her freshman season last year.
 
USI's pressuring defense has been a problem for opponents this season. Southern Indiana is third in the OVC with 11.5 steals per game, second with 22.4 turnovers forced per game and third in the league at 3.3 blocks per contest. Shafford leads USI with 22 steals, while graduate forward Ashlynn Brown (Perrysburg, Ohio) tops the squad with eight blocks on the season.
 
Offensively, USI is averaging 70.0 points per game, which is second in the Ohio Valley Conference. Southern Indiana's scoring output has been achieved by shooting 42.8 percent from the floor (second in the OVC), 38.2 percent from behind the arc (first in the OVC), and 78.9 percent at the free-throw line (first in the OVC). Meanwhile, USI's offensive effort has led to an OVC-best 16.6 assists per game, which sits among the best in the nation. The Screaming Eagles have recorded an assist on over 64 percent of their total made baskets this season.
 
Saturday's opponent, Wright State, is out of the Horizon League. The Raiders are 1-8 so far in the 2022-23 season. WSU earned its only win on November 17 in a 98-37 final against Ohio Christian. Wright State has had a tough non-conference schedule, facing Toledo and Bowling Green out of the MAC, #4 Ohio State out of the Big Ten, and Tennessee out of the SEC. The Raiders have also faced Eastern Illinois, whom Southern Indiana will meet in OVC play.
 
Last time out, Wright State fell 96-57 against the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The Raiders knocked down 10 three-pointers for a mark of 47.6 percent from downtown. Defensively, Wright State held Tennessee to only three made triples and just over 17 percent from beyond the arc. The Raiders were led by senior guard Emily Chapman with 18 points on 7-10 shooting.
 
On the season, senior guard Bryce Nixon leads Wright State at 10.0 points per game. Nixon has shot 44 percent overall this season, including 20 makes from three at 46.5 percent. Graduate Isabelle Bolender sits at 8.4 points per contest with Chapman just behind her at 8.1 points a game.
 
Sunday's opponent, Cincinnati, is out of the American Athletic Conference. The Bearcats are 6-5 this season. Cincinnati's schedule thus far has featured games against ranked Louisville to open the season, wins against Tennessee Tech and Lindenwood out of the OVC, splitting games against Toledo and Ohio out of the MAC, and a loss against crosstown rival Xavier.
 
On Tuesday, Cincinnati captured a 77-44 road win at Ohio. Cincinnati shot 50 percent overall in the game, hitting 12 threes in 20 attempts from distance. The Bearcats also claimed 44 rebounds with 18 on the offensive glass. Defensively, the Bearcats held the Bobcats to only three made triples in 21 attempts. Cincinnati was led in the game by senior guard Dais'Ja Trotter with 13 points. Senior guard Caitlyn Wilson and sophomore guard Braylyn Milton posted 12 points. Junior guard Jillian Hayes also finished in double figures with 10 points for the Bearcats.
 
On the season, Hayes paces the Bearcats with 14.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Hayes also has 18 blocks. Senior guard Mya Jackson is second on the team, scoring 12.5 points per contest.
 
Following this weekend's matchups and the conclusion of the lengthy road swing for USI, the Screaming Eagles will return home to Screaming Eagles Arena next Wednesday at 6 p.m. for a non-conference season finale against Brescia University (Ky.). The game will be Southern Indiana's final tune-up before the start of the Ohio Valley Conference season on December 29.