EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball opens Ohio Valley Conference play and continues a three-game homestand this week when the Screaming Eagles host the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on Thursday at 5 p.m. and Morehead State University on Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
This week's games can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM and WREF 97.7 FM.
 
On Thursday, the first 500 fans through the doors of Liberty Arena, home of the Screaming Eagles, will receive a free fry coupon from Penn State East Coast Subs, the official sandwich provider of USI Athletics, and a free magnet schedule. On Saturday, join the holiday spirit by wearing an ugly holiday sweater.
 
USI Women's Basketball (6-2, 0-0 OVC) is 3-0 in Ohio Valley Conference openers and 3-0 in its OVC home-opening games since joining the conference in 2022. Thursday will be the first time USI opens its conference slate against Little Rock.
 
The Screaming Eagles are 4-1 at home this season and have won three in a row inside Liberty Arena. Last time out, USI began the current homestand with an impressive 76-59 victory over Middle Tennessee State University. A 17-0 USI run bridging the first and second quarters helped the Eagles to pull away from the Blue Raiders. Additionally, USI went a season-best 91.7 percent at the foul line, going 22-24, and converted 22 turnovers by the Blue Raiders into 23 points. USI also had 22 fast-break points.
 
Senior guard Ali Saunders led USI with 21 points against the Blue Raiders, which were two shy of her USI career high that she set earlier this season against Murray State University. Junior guard Sophia Loden recorded her fourth consecutive double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Loden's double-double streak matches former Screaming Eagle Morgan Dahlstrom's streak during the 2017-18 season. Freshman forward Channah Gannon made her collegiate debut with 16 points, which were the most scored in a freshman debut for USI since the 2000-01 season when Jessica Stuckman poured in 21 points against Indiana Tech.
 
Entering the OVC season, Loden leads the team in scoring average with 14.9 points (7^th in OVC) and in rebounding with 9.3 boards per game (2^nd in OVC). Saunders and junior forward Chloe Gannon are second and third, respectively, in scoring with 14 and 13.1 points per contest. As a team, USI is averaging 76.9 points per outing, which is second in the OVC, and limiting the opposition to 50.4 points per game, which is first in the OVC and third in the nation.
 
Little Rock is 4-6 overall this season and off to a 1-0 start in the OVC. The Trojans began their conference schedule on Tuesday with a 76-63 road win at Morehead State. Little Rock has three wins in its last five games.
 
Graduate combo guard Jordan Holman leads the Trojans on the season with 18.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 30.5 minutes per game. Holman is also averaging two steals per contest. Holman tallied a game-high 25 points on Tuesday at Morehead State. Sophomore guard Brenna Burk is averaging nine points per game but is coming off a 21-point performance against Morehead State. Little Rock is averaging 61.3 points and allowing 64.9 points per game this season.
 
Little Rock leads the all-time series against USI, 4-3, including a regular-season sweep in 2024-25. However, USI got the best of Little Rock in the OVC Tournament quarterfinals last season, 73-52, to advance to the semifinal round.
 
Morehead State is idle on Thursday before coming to USI on Saturday. Morehead State is 4-7 on the season and coming off Tuesday's loss to Little Rock. The Eagles have two wins in their last five outings.
 
Graduate forward Kate Dike leads the Morehead State squad with 13.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Dike registered a double-double on Tuesday against the Trojans with team-bests 15 points and 10 boards. Senior guard Laura Toffali and senior guard Marie Sepp are also averaging double figures, scoring 12.2 and 11.1 points per game, respectively. Toffali and Sepp each tallied a dozen on Tuesday. Collectively, Morehead State is averaging 64.2 points and allowing 74.5 points per contest.
 
USI leads the all-time series against Morehead State, 5-1. The Screaming Eagles have won five in a row since Morehead State won the inaugural meeting in January 2023. USI won each meeting last season by double figures.
 
Tickets for all home games at Liberty Arena can be purchased online at usiscreamingeagles.com or the USI Ticket Office.