EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball returned home to Liberty Arena on Sunday afternoon with a solid performance on both ends of the court, opening a three-game homestand with a 76-59 victory over Middle Tennessee State University.
 
USI (6-2) controlled the contest behind a balanced offense and a pesky defense against Middle Tennessee (4-6). In the Screaming Eagles' final tune-up game before the start of Ohio Valley Conference play later this week, USI shot for over 42 percent (25-59) from the floor, including four made threes, and a season-best 91.7 percent (22-24). Defensively, USI converted 22 turnovers by the Blue Raiders into 23 points. The Eagles also had 22 fast-break points.
 
Senior guard Ali Saunders led the Screaming Eagles in scoring with a game-high 21 points, which was two shy of her USI career best that she set earlier this season against Murray State University. Junior guard Sophia Loden recorded a fourth consecutive double-double performance on Sunday, pouring in 19 points and hauling in 11 rebounds. Loden's four straight double-doubles are the most consecutive by a USI player since Morgan Dahlstrom had four in a row in the 2017-18 season.
 
Sunday's triumph was also highlighted by the debut of freshman forward Channah Gannon, who had been working back from injury. Gannon tallied 16 points in only 11 minutes. Gannon's 16 points were the most scored in a true freshman debut for USI since Jessica Stuckman's 21 points against Indiana Tech in the 2000-01 season. The last time a USI true freshman scored double digits in a debut was during the 2011-12 season, when Brooke Valentine registered 13 points against Saginaw Valley State University.
 
Following a slow start to Sunday's game and a 7-6 lead for Middle Tennessee State, five and a half minutes into the game, USI got rolling late in the opening quarter. Gannon checked into the game and provided an immediate spark off the bench for the Screaming Eagles, draining a spot-up three from the top of the arc to put the Eagles in front. Gannon and the Screaming Eagles continued to be aggressive and get to the foul line to extend their lead. A layup in the final seconds of the first quarter by sophomore guard Lexi Sepulveda capped off a 13-0 USI run to end the period and give USI a 19-7 advantage going to the second quarter.
 
Sepulveda scored another easy one to start the second for the Eagles. Following a few minutes of exchanging buckets, Middle Tennessee was able to find some rhythm to trim USI's lead down to 10, 30-20, by the midway point of the second quarter. Back-to-back layups by Loden got the Screaming Eagles back on track. Inside the last two minutes of the first half, Saunders cashed in a three-pointer and converted a three-point play to send USI into halftime up by 15, 40-25.
 
As the Blue Raiders looked to cut into USI's lead to start the second half, Saunders quickly halted their momentum with five points in 15 seconds. Later, back-to-back layups by Loden pushed the Screaming Eagles ahead by 18, 51-33, at the seven-minute mark of the third quarter. Gannon continued her strong debut with a three-point play off a USI defensive steal later in the period. USI's lead grew to over 20, as junior forward Maddy Fay scored a last-second layup to end the third and give the Eagles a 63-42 cushion going to the fourth quarter.
 
A layup by Loden and a triple from Saunders got USI off to a quick start in the final frame. However, Middle Tennessee continued to fight, trimming the difference down to 16, 71-55, with four and a half minutes to go. From that point on, it was all USI, as Saunders answered with another three-point play. The Screaming Eagles' defense locked down the rest of the game, as the game went scoreless in the final two minutes of action.
 
The Screaming Eagles continue the homestand from Liberty Arena with their Ohio Valley Conference opener on Thursday at 5 p.m. against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The game can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM and WREF 97.7 FM.
 
Thursday's OVC-opening doubleheader at Liberty Arena features a Penn Station sandwich coupon giveaway to the first 1,500 fans and a magnet schedule giveaway.
 
Tickets for Thursday and all home games at Liberty Arena can be purchased online at usiscreamingeagles.com or the USI Ticket Office.