EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball returns to action with another major conference test on Sunday when the Screaming Eagles host the University of Cincinnati from the Big 12 Conference. Game time is set for 2 p.m. from Screaming Eagles Arena.
For Sunday's contest, USI Athletics and USI Women's Basketball have teamed up with Toys for Tots. Fans are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the game on Sunday, and you could receive a coupon for a free popcorn or a ticket voucher for a future game. All toys will be collected and donated to the local Toys for Tots. All fans are encouraged to bring a new stuffed animal to Screaming Eagles Arena. At halftime of the game, fans will be prompted to throw their stuffed animals onto the court. All items collected will be donated to Toys for Tots.
It is also Family Day on Sunday, featuring face painting, a coloring contest, prizes, and other special activities. Tickets for Sunday's game are buy-one, get-one-free and can be purchased online at usiscreamingeagles.com or through the USI Athletics ticket office.
Sunday's game can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ with radio coverage available on 95.7 FM The Spin and 97.7 FM WREF.
Sunday is the middle game of a three-game homestand for USI, who enters the contest with a 4-4 record. Cincinnati, who is 6-3 on the season, will not only be the first-ever opponent from the Big 12 Conference for USI, but the Bearcats will also be the first-ever major conference foe to play at Screaming Eagles Arena.
Following a four-game skid, the Screaming Eagles got back on track with a win last time out on December 9, capturing a 72-51 home win against Eastern Michigan University. USI played well on both ends of the court in the victory, holding Eastern Michigan to below 30 percent shooting on the defensive side while making a season-high 10 triples on offense. USI also had a season-best 18 makes and 25 attempts at the free-throw line.
In the win against Eastern Michigan, junior guard
Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) led USI with 21 points, tying a season-high, with five treys and six rebounds. Senior forwards
Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) and
Madi Webb (Bedford, Indiana) also poured in season highs with 15 points apiece. The two each grabbed five rebounds as well.
Sophomore guard
Ali Saunders (Depauw, Indiana) also had a solid performance in the last outing for USI. Saunders, who transferred to USI this year from Valparaiso, has settled into a rhythm in USI's last three contests. Saunders has scored eight or more points, tallied three or more assists, and averaged three rebounds in the last three games. Saunders has also shot 47.4 percent (9-19) overall and 70 percent (7-10) from three while playing just over 16 minutes per game off the bench during that span.
Through eight games this season, USI averages 67 points per game on 41.6 percent shooting, both of which are good for top-five marks in the Ohio Valley Conference. Southern Indiana also sits top five in the league on the glass with 38.9 rebounds per contest.
Individually, Shafford paces USI in multiple categories, including 14 points and 7.4 rebounds per outing. Shafford is top 10 in the OVC in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage (47.4 percent), and steals (1.9). Shafford has scored 10 or more points in the Eagles' last six games. Shafford has also shot over 40 percent in five of the last six contests. Last season, Shafford had a streak of 10 consecutive games scoring 10-plus points.
Following season highs of 15 points each last time out, Raley and Webb are averaging nearly 10 points per game.
Cincinnati will be playing its final non-conference road test when the Bearcats visit USI on Sunday. The Bearcats are a combined 2-2 between road and neutral-site games this season. Cincinnati is currently enjoying a four-game winning streak, dating back to late November. With an 87-62 win against Howard University last time out on Wednesday, the Bearcats tied their longest win streak since the 2020-21 season.
The Bearcats are averaging 68.1 points and 39.7 rebounds per game this season while shooting at a clip of 38.1 percent. Senior forward Jillian Hayes leads Cincinnati with 12.8 points and 8.3 rebounds. Hayes surpassed 1,000 career points with a 20-point outing against Howard on Wednesday. Senior forward Malea Williams and graduate guard Mya Jackson are averaging 10 points per game on the campaign. Williams had a double-double of 16 points and 10 boards against Howard.
The two programs will be meeting for the second time ever on Sunday. The two teams met for the first time last season in Cincinnati, Ohio, where the Bearcats claimed a 99-57 victory over the Screaming Eagles.
Sunday is the penultimate non-conference game for Southern Indiana, as USI will conclude the out-of-conference slate next Friday at 1 p.m. against Brescia University (KY) at Screaming Eagles Arena.
