What we learned about USI women’s basketball before OVC play arrives

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EVANSVILLE — University of Southern Indiana coach Rick Stein made this point with emphasis: last year is over.

His Screaming Eagles made program history with Ohio Valley Conference regular season and tournament championships in year two of Division I play. If it weren’t for archaic NCAA rules, USI would have been one of 68 teams playing for a national title.

The focus now is what can the 2024-25 season accomplish. As the nonconference schedule nears its conclusion, we’re getting an answer.

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USI is 7-2 following a four-point road loss to Indiana on Wednesday. Two more games remain, including a trip to Illinois, before OVC play begins on Dec. 19. The results thus far offer a promising look for a team more than capable of winning another championship.

Southern Indiana’s Ali Saunders (11) dribbles as the University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles play the Indiana Hoosiers at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind., Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024.

USI remains one of the best teams in the OVC

The immediate thought from the loss at Simon Skjodt Assemby Hall: Highly doubtful there’s a team in the OVC better than Southern Indiana.

The analytics back it up. The Screaming Eagles improved to 93rd in the country as of Thursday morning on BartTorvik. No other conference team is within 60 spots. The NCAA’s NET rating also favors USI at 80th, 30 spots better than Western Illinois. The results also back this assertion with a perfect slate outside of trips to Louisville and Indiana.

USI can’t play in the NCAA Tournament yet should it win the OVC championship again. Good luck finding a stronger team at this juncture. The Screaming Eagles have a veteran lineup that can shoot and defend.

“We come in with the same mindset,” said junior guard Ali Saunders. “Our main goal every game is to out-work, out-tough everybody we play. That comes from our defense. When we’re in giddy-up mode on defense, that…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/learned-usi-womens-basketball-ovc-090216135.html

Author : The Courier & Press

Publish date : 2024-12-06 09:02:00

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