HARROGATE, Tenn. – The LMU women's basketball team will look to continue their winning ways as they make the 330 mile trek to Evansville, Indiana to face the Screaming Eagles of Southern Indiana Wednesday evening. Game time is set for 7 p.m. Eastern Time / 6 p.m. Central Time.

Following a close 78-70 loss on Friday to Flagler in which the host Saints torched the Lady Railsplitters from the perimeter with 13 three-pointers, LMU made a statement on Saturday with a 94-76 win over Georgia Southwestern in which they led the entire game.

Sydney Duggins had her first two career starts over the weekend, and the junior made a case for that to become a more permanent situation as she scored a career high 19 points on Friday and backed that up on Saturday with 10 points and a career high seven rebounds. Her cousin Rachel Griffith also had a hot weekend as she scored 12 points vs. Flagler and had a career high 22 vs. GSW. (Her 26 point performance at Kentucky was in an exhibition contest, so those stats do not count.)

Addi Kirkpatrick had 24 points and a team high 15 rebounds over the weekend, while Emily Griffith also had a combined 24 points. Sydney Newsome chipped in 20 points over both games.

After the long trip, LMU will have almost a week with no games before they host King in the home opener on Nov. 20 at 6 p.m.

SERIES HISTORY
· LMU and USI are tied at 1-1, with both teams picking up their win at home. This will be only the eighth time the Lady Railsplitters will play in the Hoosier State, and they have a 3-4 record in that state. Where have they played? Indianapolis (vs. Pittsburgh-Johnstown, Saint Francis and twice vs. the Univ. of Indianapolis), Oakland City (vs. Oakland City), Rensselear (vs. Saint Joseph's, who closed in 2017) and Evansville (vs. USI). Their last appearance in Indiana was in the 2014-15 season, when they lost to UIndy in Indianapolis.

· In their first meeting, on Nov. 24, 2009, LMU had an early lead, but midway through the first half USI exploded on a 15-2 run and never looked back in the 86-78 win. Amberly O'Dell led LMU with 21 points, while Blandine Kikwiki-Mamuku chipped in 14 points to go along with her 14 rebounds. Dayshalee Salaman added in 13 points. Ellen Young led USI with 21 points.

· The teams met again last season in the Tex Turner Arena on Dec. 19 as USI entered the contest ranked 17th in the country and undefeated. LMU trailed by as much as nine points before methodically chipping away at the lead. An Emily Griffith basket sparked a third quarter run that gave the Lady Railsplitters the lead for good as they held on for the 81-73 win. LMU dominated Southern Indiana on the boards 45-28 for the game. LMU had five players in double figures, led by Shea Coker and Qua Hines with 16 points apiece. Coker also led LMU with six rebounds. USI was led by Kacy Eschweiler's 21 points, while Kaydie Grooms added in 16 points.
 
SCOUTING SOUTHERN INDIANA
· The Eagles, like LMU, are 1-1 after their first weekend of play. They dropped a heartbreaker to Northwood, who hit a free throw with 2.5 seconds left to escape with a 72-71 win. The next day, USI took out their frustrations with a 67-58 win over Saginaw Valley State in a game where they outscored the Cardinals 25-11 in the fourth quarter to coast to the win.

· After the first weekend, Alex Davidson leads the team in scoring with 38 points, including 24 in the win over SVSU. She is also third on the team in rebounding with 6.0 rebounds a game and leads the team in assists. Close behind her in scoring is Eschweiler, who has 32 points (16.0 per game) and 6.5 rebounds a game. Mikayla Rowan leads the team in rebounds with an average of 8.0 per contest.

· USI was picked to finish third in the Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason poll, and the Eagles are receiving votes in the preseason WBCA Coaches Poll.

· Head Coach Rick Stein is in his 20th season at USI, is the reigning GLVC Coach of the Year. He has a 340-209 career record, all at USI. He was also the assistant coach there for eight years before assuming the head coaching mantle, and helped lead the Eagles to a 159-73 record during that time.

· The Eagles earned a berth in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional last season, where they fell to Lewis 72-64 in the opening round.
 
SCOUTING LMU
· Head Coach Krystal Evans is in her fifth season at LMU. She has a 78-44 overall record.
 
· Rachel Griffith currently leads the team with an average of 17 points a game. Sydney Duggins is second with 14.5 points a game.
 
· Emily Griffith is tied for third in scoring with Addi Kirkpatrick with 12.0 points per game apiece, and Emily also leads the team in both assists (11) and blocks (2). She is also ranked second nationally in assist to turnover ratio with a ratio of 11.0

· Kirkpatrick leads the team in rebounds with 7.0 a game, while freshman Lexi Kiser has a 6.5 rebounds per game average, followed by Duggins and Sydney Newsome with 6.0 each.
 
· Kirkpatrick along with fellow forward Maggie Jachimczuk are very efficient offensively as both are hitting over 70 percent of their shots. Kirkpatrick is hitting at a 71.4 percent clip while Jachimczuk is close behind with 70.0 percent.
  
· As a team, LMU is averaging 82.0 points a game while holding opponents to 77.0. They are narrowly out-rebounding opponents by a +0.5 margin.
 
RECORD WATCH
· POINTS –Emily Griffith ranks 48th with 566 points and trails Lu Elliott (1983-85) by eleven points. Rachel Griffith isn't far behind at 57th with 518 points.
 
· FIELD GOALS – Emily Griffith is 51st with 212 while Rachel Griffith is 62nd.
 
· THREE-POINTERS – Rachel Griffith ranks 18th in made three pointers with 64 and trails Mollie Cooper (1994-97) by four. Sydney Duggins ranks 38th, while Dasia Maxwell is in 45th place. Emily Griffith is in 64th place.
 
· FREE THROWS – Emily Griffith is in 41st place with 129 free throws. She needs one to tie Tammy Shelton (1992-94). Rachel Griffith is in 61st place with 92 and Qua Hines is tied for 70th place.
· REBOUNDS – Emily Griffith is in 84th as she has 184 rebounds. She needs two to tie for Lauren Cochran (2011-12) for 83rd. Dasia Maxwell is tied for 94th and Cameron DuBose is close behind at 96th.
 
· ASSISTS – Emily Griffith is tied for 30th place with 150 with LMU Hall-of-Famer Hillary Ross (2000-04) while Rachel is 56th with 118. Qua Hines is in 88th place.
 
· STEALS –Emily Griffith has 103 career steals, tying her for 32^nd with All-American (and local volleyball/basketball official) Terry Whitehead (1984-86). Rachel Griffith is in 42nd place with 86.