EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In a contest that came down to the wire, University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball opened its 2023-24 season with a 67-63 win at Screaming Eagles Arena against Wright State University on Monday night.
 
Southern Indiana (1-0) looked to begin the new basketball season and a three-game homestand on the right foot against Wright State (0-1). In USI's first possession of the game, graduate guard Tori Handley (Jeffersonville, Indiana) made a dribble-drive pull-up jumper to score the Screaming Eagles' first points of the season. Midway into the first, Wright State went ahead by three, 6-3, before USI answered with a straightaway three-pointer from senior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) to tie the game. With just under five minutes left in the first period, the Raiders went up by five, 14-9, but the Eagles responded with five unanswered points to even the game at 14 to close out the opening quarter.
 
At the start of the second quarter, USI received a boost off the bench from senior guard Lexie Green (Indianapolis, Indiana), who scored five points in the first couple of minutes. The scoring came to a lull in the middle of the second, as the defense picked up. Then USI went on an 8-0 run, surging to a 29-21 advantage. Junior guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) tallied a pair of baskets during the run, including a baseline reverse layup. Wright State closed the gap to four before junior guard Takiya Howard (Chicago, Illinois) drained a triple in the final seconds before halftime, giving Southern Indiana a 34-27 lead at the intermission.
 
The Eagles came out of halftime with a fast start, especially down low in the post. Senior forward Madi Webb (Bedford, Indiana) made back-to-back buckets for USI, impressing in her Screaming Eagles debut. Southern Indiana's lead grew as large as 15, 49-34, in the middle of the third after another bucket by Webb and another three by Howard. Late in the third period, Wright State knocked down two threes to pull within nine, 53-44, heading into the final quarter.
 
The Raiders continued to chip away in the early minutes of the fourth period. Wright State utilized the three-point shot and a 14-3 run in the middle of the fourth to come back and tie the game at 58. As the two sides battled down the stretch, Handley canned a three from the corner to put USI up by four, 63-59, with under three minutes remaining. Wright State then hit another three to bring it back within one, 63-62. With a minute left and the game tied after a free throw by the Raiders, Raley made a big layup to give USI the two-point lead, 65-63. Southern Indiana made two late free throws to close out the 67-63 season-opening victory.
 
For the game, the Eagles shot nearly 45 percent from the floor (26-58), 6-11 from beyond the arc (6-11), and just over 64 percent at the charity stripe (9-14). Wright State finished with 38 percent shooting overall (24-63), 37 percent from three (10-27), and nearly 36 percent at the foul line (5-14). USI outrebounded Wright State 45-31. Individually, Webb led USI with 13 points in her USI debut while also grabbing eight rebounds. Howard and Raley each scored nine points, and Shafford totaled eight points with nine rebounds. Wright State had three players score in double figures.
 
The Screaming Eagles will continue their season-opening three-game homestand Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. against Oakland City University at Screaming Eagles Arena. Sunday's game is part of a USI Basketball doubleheader with the men's team to follow at 3:30 p.m. against Chicago State University. Fans can purchase tickets online at usiscreamingeagles.com. Sunday's action can also be seen with a subscription to ESPN+.