EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball resumes its season-long four-game homestand at Liberty Arena this week when the Screaming Eagles host Lindenwood University on Thursday at 5 p.m. and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on Saturday at 5 p.m. to begin the second half of Ohio Valley Conference play.
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.
Thursday's game against Lindenwood is presented by Banterra Bank. Saturday's slate, presented by Old National Bank, is filled with Homecoming festivities and a Penn Station East Coast Subs free fry coupon giveaway to the first 500 fans. As part of Homecoming, USI Women's Basketball will be welcoming back several alumni and USI Hall of Famers in attendance to help celebrate 50 years of USI Women's Basketball.
USI (14-5, 8-2 OVC) enters the week tied for first place in the OVC standings alongside Western Illinois University with an 8-2 conference record. The Screaming Eagles look to get back on track after the Leathernecks snapped USI's five-game winning streak and eight-game home winning streak last Friday, which moved the Eagles' home record this season to 9-2.
USI fell to Western Illinois, 72-62, last time out. The Screaming Eagles could not overcome a first-half deficit, as the Leathernecks shot over 50 percent from the floor in the contest. The game was moved up a day to last Friday due to winter weather conditions. The day before the game against Western Illinois, USI bested Eastern Illinois, 73-57, to start off the homestand.
In the game against Western Illinois, junior forward
Chloe Gannon led USI in scoring with 16 points to pace the Eagles for the second game in a row. Gannon averaged 18.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game last week. Gannon has scored 10-plus in 14 games this season and in eight of the last 10 outings.
Fellow junior forward
Amiyah Buchanan also had a solid performance against the Leathernecks, posting 12 points and 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the season and second career double-double. The outing was Buchanan's first double-digit scoring game since tallying a dozen at SIUE on January 1.
Senior guard
Ali Saunders, who averaged 12 points per contest last week, still paces the Screaming Eagles overall with 17 points per game, which ranks second in the OVC. Saunders is also third in the OVC with 4.2 assists per game. Gannon is second on the squad at 12.7 points per outing, and junior guard
Sophia Loden is third with 11.6 points per game.
USI is third in the OVC scoring 70.3 points per game. USI's scoring defense (56.6) ranks first in the OVC and top 25 in the nation along with their field goal percentage defense (36.0).
Lindenwood (15-6, 7-3 OVC) comes to town off a home sweep last week against Tennessee Tech University, 66-55, and against Tennessee State University, 91-58. The Lions have won six of their last seven games, a stretch that started against USI on January 3.
The Lions are led offensively by graduate guard Aleshia Jones, who tops the squad with 15.2 points per game. Junior guards Brooke Coffey and Ellie Brueggemann are second and third, respectively, at 13.6 and 13.1 points per game. Lindenwood averages 73.9 points and allow 60.4 points per game.
USI leads the all-time series against Lindenwood, 9-2. However, Lindenwood has won two in a row in the series, with both wins coming in St. Charles, Missouri. Lindenwood defeated USI, 75-65, earlier this season on January 3. Saunders led USI in that contest with 23 points. USI last won in the series at home last January, 70-66.
SIUE (10-10, 3-7 OVC) also swept Tennessee State, 63-41, and Tennessee Tech, 67-62, at home last week. The Cougars picked up the consecutive wins following seven straight losses.
Freshman forward Lauren Miller and freshman guard Kiyoko Proctor pace the Cougars in scoring, averaging 12.7 and 12.2 points per game, respectively. SIUE is posting 61.9 points offensively and holding opponents to 58.2 points per contest.
USI leads the all-time series against SIUE, 32-25. The Screaming Eagles have won five in a row against the Cougars, including a 70-55 victory at SIUE earlier this season on January 1. Gannon led four Eagles in double figures with 19 points in the January 1 meeting.
Tickets for all home games at Liberty Arena can be purchased online at usiscreamingeagles.com or the USI Ticket Office.
