Game Notes
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana women’s basketball team is looking for its third straight victory when it travels to Springfield, Missouri, to take on Drury University in a key GLVC and NCAA II Midwest Region battle.
USI (17-6, 8-4 GLVC) trails the Panthers in the Midwest Region rankings, but could make up a lot of ground with a victory Tuesday evening. Tip-off is slated for 5:45 p.m. and game coverage, including audio, video, and live stats, can be accessed at www.gousieagles.com.
The Screaming Eagles, who were eighth in region rankings last week, are coming off a thrilling 81-71 overtime victory over Rockhurst University this past Saturday. USI overcame a 12-point halftime deficit to take a 64-60 lead, but found itself trailing 68-64 with less than 15 seconds to play.
Junior guard Amie Newhart, however, scored five points in the final 13 seconds as the Eagles forced overtime, where they outscored Rockhurst 12-2 to pick up the victory. Newhart finished the game with 18 points, while junior guard Ellen Young added 19 points, 15 of which came after the intermission and six coming in overtime.
Young leads the Eagles and ranks eighth in the GLVC with 14.9 points per game, while Newhart is second on the team and 21st in the league with 12.1 points per appearance.
USI trails the all-time series with the Panthers, 6-2, after splitting the season series a year ago. The Eagles defeated Drury, 90-86, in double overtime in the first meeting in Evansville, while the Panthers edged USI 75-69 during the final week of the season in Springfield. USI’s double-overtime win over Drury was recognized by the Division II Bulletin as the game of the month for February.
The Panthers (18-6, 10-3 GLVC), who were fourth in the region rankings last week, are just one win away from clinching the top seed in the GLVC West Division despite losing road games to Northern Kentucky University and No. 2 University of Indianapolis last week.
Senior guard/forward Lindsey Ballweg led the Panthers with 17 points in their loss to Indianapolis on Saturday, while senior forward/center Melanie Oliver added 15 points and 22 rebounds. Ballweg leads the Panthers and is third in the GLVC with 17.3 points per game, while Oliver is averaging 12.4 points and a league-best 9.3 rebounds per appearance.
Following USI’s bout with Drury, the Eagles return home to face the Indianapolis Saturday at 1 p.m. The Eagles will be wearing their pink uniforms and are asking fans to “Paint the PAC Pink” in an effort to raise breast cancer awareness.