EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball continues its Ohio Valley Conference schedule Thursday for a 4 p.m. CT contest at Morehead State University. The matchup precedes a home battle Saturday against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville at 5 p.m.
Both matchups can be seen live with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on 95.7 FM The Spin (
http://957thespin.com).
The Screaming Eagles (7-6, 1-1) split the first two games of the OVC season last week, winning 68-54 at home against Southeast Missouri State University last Thursday before falling 69-58 at Eastern Illinois University last Saturday. USI has won four of the last six games.
Senior forward
Hannah Haithcock (Washington Courthouse, Ohio) led USI in the opening week of OVC competition, averaging 20 points and eight rebounds per game in the two games last week. Haithcock tallied 15 points and seven boards in a win against Southeast Missouri before posting a career-best 25 points with nine rebounds on Saturday at Eastern Illinois. She also made frequent trips to the foul line in each game, making nine free throws in each contest.
Haithcock's previous career high was 24 points, which she set on December 21 against Brescia University (Ky.). Her 25-point performance at Eastern Illinois helped her join USI's 1,000-point club. The senior became the 20
th player to reach 1,000 career points.
Sophomore guard
Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) also had a solid week to start OVC play. In the two games against Southeast Missouri and Eastern Illinois, Shafford combined for 28 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists, while shooting 10-18 from the field and 6-9 from beyond the arc. Shafford has been the best, most efficient three-point shooter in the nation, connecting from three at 59.6 percent.
On Saturday at Eastern Illinois, senior forward
Tara Robbe (Wildwood, Missouri) had a solid game. Robbe grabbed a season-high seven rebounds and matched a season-high with nine points. The senior has scored nine points on four occasions this season, all coming on the road. Robbe also notched nine points in USI's games at Butler University, Wright State University, and the University of Cincinnati. Robbe is averaging nearly three more points and two more rebounds per game away from home.
Overall, this season, Southern Indiana is led by Haithcock at 15.4 points per game. Right behind her are junior forward
Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) and Shafford with 13.6 and 13.1 points per contest, respectively. Shafford tops the squad with seven rebounds per outing.
In recent weeks, the Screaming Eagles have surged ahead to the top of the OVC in rebounding and blocks. USI has consistently been among the best in the conference in assists and three-point shooting, but the recent work on the glass and blocking shots have stood out. Southern Indiana is first in the OVC with 38.5 rebounds per game, averaging over four more rebounds a contest than opponents. The Screaming Eagles have outrebounded their opponent in all seven wins this season. USI has also outshot its opponent in all seven wins. Defensively, USI is averaging four blocks per game for first in the OVC.
Morehead State is 5-8 overall and 1-1 in OVC play. Last time out, Morehead State dropped a 63-48 contest at the University of Tennessee at Martin. After a slow start, the Eagles outscored the Skyhawks 16-7 to take a 26-25 halftime lead, but UT Martin responded out of halftime and never looked back.
Senior guard Veronica Charles leads Morehead State this season at 12 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while totaling 39 steals. Charles was named OVC Newcomer of the Week for the third time this season earlier this week.
Thursday's matchup between USI and Morehead State will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
SIU Edwardsville is off to a tough start this season at 2-11 overall, but the Cougars split their opening slate of OVC games last week. SIUE is coming off a 76-61 win at Southeast Missouri on Saturday. SIUE outshot SEMO in each category, hitting over 48 percent overall, over 53 percent from three, and over 81 percent at the line. The Cougars were led by senior forward Ajulu Thatha with her second consecutive double-double, posting 20 points and 14 rebounds. On Tuesday, averaging a double-double in the first two OVC games, Thatha was named the OVC's Player of the Week.
Sophomore guard Sofie Lowis actively leads SIUE at 10.6 points per contest with Thatha right behind her at 10.1 points per outing.
USI and SIUE have a long history, dating back to the NCAA Division II and Great Lakes Valley Conference days for both schools. The series dates to the 1981-82 season with the most recent matchup taking place in the 2007-08 season. USI leads the all-time series 26-24, but SIUE has won four straight games in the series. USI's last win was a 76-68 overtime win on the road in the 2005-06 season.
Following Saturday's home game against SIUE, USI will continue the home stretch next Thursday against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and next Saturday against UT Martin. Both games are 5 p.m. tip-off times.
