Game 23
Southeast Missouri (4-18, 2-11 OVC) at Southern Indiana (16-8, 8-5 OVC)
 
Game Information: 
Date: Saturday, February 8, 2025
Time: 5:00 p.m., CT. 
Location: Evansville, Ind.
Venue: Liberty Arena
Series: SEMO leads 12-5
 
Follow the Redhawks:
X: @OfficialSEMOWBB
Live Stats: usiscreamingeagles.com
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Real Rock 99.3 FM (Erik Sean)
 
Game Notes (PDF)
Media Guide (PDF)
 
Redhawks Continue Road Swing Saturday at Southern Indiana
Southeast Missouri Women's Basketball (4-18, 2-11 OVC) will play the second of a three-game road stretch on Saturday, February 8, at Southern Indiana (16-8, 8-5 OVC) in Evansville, Indiana. Tip-off is set for 5:00 p.m., CT. from Liberty Arena. 
 
Series History
Saturday's contest will mark the second meeting this season between the Redhawks and Screaming Eagles. Earlier this season, USI downed the Redhawks in Cape Girardeau by a final score of 93-69 from the Show Me Center. SEMO has owned the overall series by a 12-5 margin, including this season, but the Redhawks have won just one matchup with both schools at the Division I level. SEMO won in Cape Girardeau during the 2022-23 campaign with a 63-59 victory. 
 
Last Time Out
The Redhawks last played on Thursday night at Morehead State falling by a final score of 63-57 from Johnson Arena in Morehead, Ky. The backcourt duo of Lexi McCully and Zoe Best led the Redhawks in scoring with 16 points each as the two combined for 11-32 from the field and a perfect 6-6 at the free throw line. Center Ainaya Williams was the other Redhawks who finished in double-digits with 10 points and snagged six rebounds in just 15-minutes of action. 
 
As a team, SEMO shot 32.2-percent from the field (19-59), 27.8-percent from three (5-18), and 73.7-percent at the charity stripe (14-19).
 
Forward Briah Hampton recorded a career-high six blocks, all coming in the first half of play on Thursday night. Hampton scored a point, grabbed eight rebounds to go along with her six blocks.
 
Freshman Duo
Guard Zoe Best and center Ainaya Williams have been the two leading scorers for the Redhawks over the course of OVC play. Best is averaging 15.3 PPG while Williams is averaging 11.1 PPG. Williams is the leading rebounder for the Redhawks in league play, hauling in 5.7 RPG including 7.6 over the last three games. 
 
Career-High Hampton
Forward Briah Hampton made a big impact off the bench on Thursday night against Morehead State registering six blocks against the Eagles. All six of Hampton's blocks came in the first half of the contest pushing her total to eight blocks for the entire season. She had just two games with a block before Thursday night. 
 
Three-Straight 
Sophomore Anjelicia Del Valle made her third start in a row for the Redhawks on Thursday night, playing the most minutes over the last three games. Del Valle played 20:51 against Moreehad State and is averaging 16:15 of action over this stretch. She scored a career-high seven points and played a season-high 23:14 against Western Illinois (1/25).
 
16 Back-to-Back
Senior Lexi McCully recorded her second-straight game with 16 points last night against Morehead State, including 11 first half points against the Eagles. McCully scored 16 points against Tennessee State last Saturday (2/1) and is averaging 16.0 PPG over the last two. In conference play, McCully is averaging 9.8 points and has dished out 36 assists for a 2.8 APG average. 
 
Eyeing 200
Zoe Best dropped 16 points against Morehead State on Thursday night pushing her point total to 199 in league play alone. In 13 games, Best is averaging 15.3 PPG against OVC opponents. Overall, Best has 319 points on the season and could crack the top 10 in SEMO Women's Basketball single-season history. 
 
In the Record Book
Center Ainaya Williams has played 19 games during the 2024-25 campaign and has already cemented herself in the SEMO single season record book. With 36 blocked shots so far, she moved into 10^th tied with Courtney Shiffer (2010-11). She is averaging 2.0 BPG and recorded a season-high eight blocks against UT Martin (1/30). 
 
Team Stats
Through 13 games in OVC play, the Redhawks are averaging 64.5 PPG as a team having scored 840 points in league action. SEMO is shooting 37.8-percent from the field (293-776), 30.9-percent from three (90-291), and 75.2-percent at the free throw line (164-218). 
 
Scouting the Opponent
Southern Indiana
The Screaming Eagles come into Saturday's matchup with a 16-8 overall record and an 8-5 OVC record. Most recently, USI fell to Little Rock by a final score of 75-61 in Evansville on Thursday night. 
 
USI is averaging 71.8 points-per-game while allowing just 62.6 PPG to their opponents for a 9.2 scoring margin. They are shooting 44.5-percent from the field, 36.1-percent from three, and 74.4-percent at the foul line. 
 
Four Screaming Eagles average double figures led by forward Meredith Raley with 14.0 PPG. Raley has scored 334 points in 24 games. Vanessa Shafford (11.6), Triniti Ralston (10.4) and Ali Saunders (10.9) round out the top four scorers for USI. 
 
Shafford and Raley lead USI on the glass with 7.1 and 4.5 rebounds-per-game, respectively. Shafford has hauled in a team-high 170 rebounds, including 132 on the defensive end. 
 
USI is led by longtime head coach Rick Stein.