MARTIN, Tenn. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball kicked off its four-game road stretch on the right note Thursday night when the Screaming Eagles won a competitive contest, 73-67, at the University of Tennessee at Martin.
 
The Screaming Eagles improved to 17-6 overall and 12-1 in conference play. With the win and results from around the Ohio Valley Conference, Southern Indiana's first-place lead in the conference standings grew to four games with five games remaining. USI's magic number to clinch a regular-season title is down to two. To clinch it as early as Saturday, USI would need to win in addition to losses from three teams behind USI at 8-5 in the league table.
 
Thursday's game started with UT Martin taking an early 8-2 lead following some offensive rebounds, but Southern Indiana answered back to tie the game with back-to-back three-pointers from redshirt senior guard Addy Blackwell (Bloomington, Indiana) and sophomore guard Ali Saunders (Depauw, Indiana). In the middle of the opening quarter, defenses made each team go scoreless for nearly four minutes. Both sides began to find the hoop toward the end of the first period, as a triple from senior guard Lexie Green (Indianapolis, Indiana) gave USI a one-point, 16-15, lead going to the second stanza.
 
The contest continued to be a defensive affair in the early minutes of the second quarter. At one point, UT Martin's defense held Southern Indiana without a field goal for over four minutes, but the Screaming Eagles' defensive unit was also stingy. The game remained competitive for the rest of the first half with several lead changes and ties. In the back portion of the second quarter, freshman forward Chloe Gannon (Manchester, Tennessee), who had 12 first-half points, scored consecutive layups to give USI a 25-22 lead. Offenses heated up late in the second quarter with each team exchanging baskets. Right before the halftime horn, Saunders netted a trey to put the Eagles ahead by three, 36-33, at the break.
 
The second half began similarly to the first half, as neither team was willing to give up any ground. Around the 6:30 mark of the third quarter, Southern Indiana held a two-point lead, 39-37, but UT Martin took the lead on a three. The Screaming Eagles later claimed a five-point advantage, 48-43, after another canned triple by Saunders. Inside the final couple of minutes of the third frame, USI's conversions inside and the fourth made three from Saunders increased the Eagles' lead to as big as nine, 58-49, heading to the fourth quarter.
 
In the early going of the fourth quarter, UT Martin made a run to cut Southern Indiana's lead down to three, 60-57, with 7:30 left on the clock. Around the halfway point of the fourth, Saunders stayed on fire from long range, connecting on her fifth three to put USI up six. The Skyhawks continued to hang around, getting to within one possession with three minutes left and then again at the one-minute mark. With 30 seconds remaining, Saunders splashed her sixth three-pointer to seal the victory.
 
Following a defensive start, both teams ended up shooting the ball well. Southern Indiana went 27-58 for 47 percent from the floor. The Screaming Eagles were effective long range too, hitting at 50 percent (12-24). USI went 7-12 at the foul line. Southern Indiana was plus-12 on the glass, 37-25. Individually, Saunders tallied her best points total in a USI uniform with 20 points, making six threes, and adding five boards and six assists. Gannon, in her second start of the season, posted a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Junior guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) and senior forward Madi Webb (Bedford, Indiana) registered 10 points apiece.
 
UT Martin (10-14, 7-6) was 25-54 for 46 percent in overall shooting, knocking down nine threes. The Skyhawks went 8-11 at the charity stripe. UT Martin had three players in double-figure scoring. Sophomore guard Josie Storey and redshirt freshman guard Kenley McCarn each had 20 points.
 
The Screaming Eagles will head to Little Rock, Arkansas on Saturday for a 1 p.m. tipoff against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, which is one of the teams behind USI at 8-5 in the OVC standings. Saturday's game can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on 95.7 FM The Spin (http://957thespin.com).