EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball team hosts its final regular-season homestand this week. On Thursday, USI welcomes Eastern Illinois University, and on Saturday, it welcomes Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Both games are slated to tip off at 5 p.m.
 
Both games can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM. Additional radio coverage can be heard on WREF 97.7 FM.
 
Thursday night is USI's annual Play4Kay pink game to raise cancer awareness. Fans also are encouraged to wear pink. Plus, Thursday is the last 812 Night of the season with Hacienda West Evansville. Doubleheader tickets are $8.12 for upper-level seating. Along with discounted tickets, USI encourages fans to visit Hacienda West for their $8.12 small famous wet burrito that comes with a drink from 2-6 p.m. Customers can show their e-ticket from the game to receive the limited-time offer at Hacienda West.
 
Saturday is Senior Night, as USI Women's Basketball will celebrate its senior class. Guards Lexie Green and Vanessa Shafford will be recognized alongside forwards Madi Webb, Lauren Carie, and Meredith Raley. Additionally, Saturday is Fan Appreciation Night, presented by Ascension. Fans should wear red to red out Liberty Arena, home of the Screaming Eagles, and arrive early for a free t-shirt giveaway to the first 500 fans.
 
Southern Indiana (18-9, 10-6 OVC) enters the week fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference standings with two weeks remaining in the regular season. USI already clinched its second consecutive berth into the OVC tournament with a win last Thursday at Western Illinois University. The Screaming Eagles are four games back of first place and one game back of a potential first-round bye position in the OVC tournament in the fourth spot.
 
USI is looking to rebound after a 75-56 loss last time out at Lindenwood University last Saturday. Prior to the Lindenwood game, Southern Indiana won its previous two games, including a home win on February 8 against Southeast Missouri State University. USI is 11-2 at home this season.
 
In last Saturday's game at Lindenwood, the Screaming Eagles got off to a slow start and trailed at halftime 34-18. USI improved its play in the second half by scoring 38 points after the intermission, but it was not quite enough to come back against the Lions, who are tied atop the OVC standings with Tennessee Tech University. USI was led in scoring last Saturday by Shafford, who scored 16 points. Sophomore guard Sophia Loden also finished in double figures with 12 points.
 
Between the 76-70 win at Western Illinois and the game at Lindenwood, Shafford paced Southern Indiana last week with 15 points per game while adding 5.5 rebounds per game. Shafford is averaging 18 points in the last three games. The guard posted 24 points in USI's last home game against SEMO.
 
On the season, Raley leads the team with 13.6 points per contest and shooting nearly 50 percent overall. Shafford is second in scoring with 12.3 points per outing. Junior guard Ali Saunders is third at just over 10 points per game. As a team, the Eagles average above 71 points while holding the opposition to 63.1 points per game.
 
Eastern Illinois (16-9, 13-3 OVC) comes to town Thursday sitting in third place in the conference standings and one game behind first. The Panthers won both of their games last week against Tennessee State University, 69-49, and the University of Tennessee at Martin, 66-62.
 
Senior forward Macy McGlone leads Eastern Illinois this season, averaging a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds per game. Both rank top two in the conference. McGlone is the only Panther averaging double digits. McGlone has 14 double-doubles this season. Collectively, Eastern Illinois averages 62.4 points and allows 61.1 points per contest.
 
Eastern Illinois leads the all-time series against USI, 5-2. In the previous meeting at Eastern Illinois on January 25, the game came down to the wire with the Panthers edging the Screaming Eagles, 51-49. Shafford paced USI with 15 points in the game.
 
SIUE (4-21, 2-14 OVC) plays at Morehead State University on Thursday before coming to Southern Indiana on Saturday. The Cougars head into the week on a six-game losing skid. Last week, SIUE fell 77-66 against UT Martin and 77-58 against Tennessee State.
 
The Cougars are led in scoring by graduate guard KK Rodriguez at 12.9 points per contest. Junior guard Macy Silvey is averaging just under 10 points per game. SIUE averages 62.1 points and gives up 73.4 points per game.
 
USI leads the all-time series against SIUE, 30-25, and has won three in a row against the Cougars. Earlier this season, Southern Indiana rallied from a 20-point deficit in the middle of the first half at SIUE on January 23 to win 69-65. USI outscored SIUE 51-33 in the second half to capture the road win. The Eagles had four players score in double figures with Loden leading the way with a career-high 18 points.
 
Tickets for all home games at Liberty Arena can be purchased online at usiscreamingeagles.com or the USI Ticket Office.