2006-07 Women’s Basketball Outlook

Quiet confidence surrounds Eagles in 2006-07

There is a quiet confidence surrounding the University of Southern Indiana women’s basketball team as it heads into the 2006-07 season.

For the first time in Head Coach Rick Stein’s seven year career at the helm of the USI women’s basketball program, the Screaming Eagles are returning more than 60 percent of the previous year’s scoring output. The two times USI has returned more than 50 percent of the previous season’s scoring output under Stein, the Eagles have either advanced to the NCAA II Elite Eight or played for an NCAA II Regional Championship.

USI, which was 15-15 overall, 7-12 GLVC, returns its top two leading scorers in junior forward Jasmine Baines and senior guard Katie Thiesenhusen. Baines, an honorable mention All-GLVC player in 2005-06, was fifth in the GLVC in scoring with a team-high 14.0 points per game (ppg), while Thiesenhusen was 21st in the conference in scoring with 11.6 ppg.

The Eagles also benefit from the return of senior forward Sabrina Brandon, who red-shirted in 2005-06 after injuring her shoulder early in the season. Brandon was USI’s second-leading scorer and rebounder in 2004-05 when she averaged 12.1 ppg and 5.3 rebounds per game (rpg).

Joining Brandon and Baines in the front court is senior forward/center Sarah Buldtman as well as sophomore forward/centers Jessica Grimaldo and Brittany Neuman.

Buldtman averaged 4.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per outing in her first season with the Eagles, while Grimaldo, who spent 2005-06 bouncing back from a knee injury that cost her the 2004-05 season, averaged 6.0 ppg and 3.0 rpg as a red-shirt freshman. Neuman gave the Eagles a strong presence off the bench as a freshman when she averaged 1.5 points and 1.9 rebounds per contest last season.

New to USI’s front court this season is 6’4” freshman center Jesstina Ditton. Ditton was a three-time All-Conference performer at North Miami High School. She earned All-State honors and was an Indiana Top 100 performer as a junior in 2004-05.

The Eagles also will get versatility out of senior guard/forward Michelle King and junior guard/forward Marshay Jolly. King averaged 4.3 points and 1.8 rebounds as a junior, while Jolly chipped in 3.0 points and 1.1 rebounds per contest last season.

While Thiesenhusen will continue to be a threat from the outside, the Eagles continue to get solid defensive efforts from senior guard Leah Stormont, who played in 26 games as a junior.

The Eagles added depth and speed to the back court with the additions of junior guards Missy Glaser and Akiya Alexander. Glaser averaged 10.6 points and 2.2 assists per game while helping Florida Atlantic University to its first NCAA I Tournament appearance in 2005-06.

Alexander averaged 4.4 points in 13 games as a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin in 2005-06.

Sophomore guard Asha Jordan also adds depth to the back court. Jordan, who played in one game at the University of Albany before transferring to USI, averaged 9.0 points per game as a senior at Ft. Wayne Snider High School. She earned honorable mention All-Summit Athletic Conference honors while captaining her squad to the SAC championship in 2004.

USI begins its quest for a GLVC championship November 15 when it travels to Central Missouri State University. The Eagles begin their home schedule in the newly renovated Physical Activities Center November 21 when they host the University of Illinois-Springfield. They start GLVC play December 2 at the PAC when they host Kentucky Wesleyan College for the first time since the 2004-05 season.

Also making their first appearances in the PAC since the 2004-05 season are GLVC East Division rivals Bellarmine University (January 18) and Northern Kentucky University (January 20).

While the Eagles will play teams from the East Division once, they will play home-and-home series against GLVC West Division foes Drury University, the University of Missouri-Rolla, the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Quincy University, Rockhurst University, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

In addition to Central Missouri State and Illinois-Springfield, the Eagles play non-conference games against Christian Brothers University, Marygrove College, Harris Stowe State University, Wayne State University (twice), and Ferris State University.

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