EVANSVILLE — The University of Southern Indiana basketball programs are on opposite sides of the Ohio Valley Conference standings entering the stretch run of the 2025-26 regular season.
The USI women’s team is currently one game behind Western Illinois for the OVC regular season title with four road games remaining. Should the Screaming Eagles catch the Leathernecks — they meet in Macomb, Ill. on Thursday, Feb. 19 — it would be their second OVC championship since joining Division I. Meanwhile, a countdown to the end of the season for the men’s team officially started over the weekend.
Here’s an update and obverstations on both programs with only two weeks before the postseason.
Can USI women’s basketball win the Ohio Valley Conference?
Competing for the conference championship was the primary goal way back in October. It’s within view.
Southern Indiana (18-7, 12-4) has positioned itself in the top tier of the OVC — the top four earn a bye in the conference tournament next month and top two get a double bye. The Screaming Eagles are on the precipice of the former by virtue of being three games up on Little Rock and UT Martin. All that’s left is positioning, which includes the top spot should the Screaming Eagles win on Thursday.
“Everybody is playing for something right now,” USI coach Rick Stein said. “There isn’t a team that’s not in the hunt — for the conference tournament or placement or seeding. A handful, including us, are trying to win the regular season (championship). We’re still right there.”
USI remains the same version of itself at other points. The Screaming Eagles are first in the OVC at 57.1 points allowed per game with opponents shooting a miserable 36.3% — that clip drops to 27.6% from behind the arc. First in turnovers produced at 19.2 per contest. It’s difficult for the opposition to win if it doesn’t score. Where consistency can lack is the other side of the ball, even as Southern Indiana has won four of its last five.
The Screaming Eagles beat Tennessee State by 26 and Tennessee Tech by 12 to wrap up the home schedule, despite shooting below 40% in both games. Ali Saunders (17.6 ppg, 4.3 apg) was around her season average in both needed volume to reach it. The key remains secondary options keeping the offense afloat.
Chloe Gannon reached double figures in both, Sophia Loden had a critical second-half stretch to score 15 against Tennesee State and Channah Gannon had 11 off the bench against Tech.
“Just playing our game,” junior Gannon said. “Forty minutes of USI basketball. It’s the little things that matter. They triple and quadruple us (inside), so it’s definitely important that we are strong with the ball. Be confident and patient.”
Perhaps the recent breakout performer is junior forward Amiyah Buchanan. The North graduate is averaging 9.6 points and 9.7 rebounds over her last seven games. She had back-to-back double doubles in wins over SEMO and Tennessee State — three straight double-figure rebounding totals with 10 against Tennessee Tech.
“Her game has elevated big time over the last two or three weeks,” Stein said. “I think back to our SEMO game on the road. She set the tone for us. We need her to do that. We need her to rebound the basketball, and she’s a lot more comfortable with the basketball.”
The final stretch isn’t ideal with four straight road trips. Western Illinois (one of two OVC teams ahead of Southern Indiana in the NET rankings) has an argument as the top offensive team in the conference. USI will be favored against Eastern Illinois (Feb. 21), Morehead State (Feb. 24) and Little Rock (Feb. 28) after winning the first matchup. The Morehead State trip could become critical for tournament positioning.
But the Screaming Eagles find themselves with an opportunity to either win it all or at worst earn a bye.
“It’s just getting back to what we do and how we play,” Buchanan said. “If your shot isn’t falling, there’s plenty of other things you can do. That’s rebounding, talking and getting to the next action. Worry about where your feet are and not the next day. We need everyone (on that page) to win every single day.”
Where does USI men’s basketball currently stand?
The answer is much more simple. The Screaming Eagles are eliminated from the upcoming OVC Tournament.
That came following an 82-74 loss to Tennessee Tech on Saturday, plus a victory from Eastern Illinois against Little Rock. USI is five games back of both with only the aforementioned four road trips left. It will be the second straight season the Screaming Eagles won’t qualify for the tournament at Ford Center.
USI (5-21, 2-14) had an outside chance of sneaking in if it ran the table — many of the upcoming opponents are directly ahead in the OVC standings. That took a major hit with a 73-71 loss against Tennessee State on Feb. 12. The Screaming Eagles faltered down the stretch with the biggest culprit coming at the foul line — they finished 15-of-34 including two misses with a chance to reach overtime. USI was also tied with Tennessee Tech with under five minutes remaining.
“15-of-34 from the foul line,” USI coach Stan Gouard said following Tennessee State. “You have to make free throws. That’s an embarassment as a coach that we can’t step up. Should be embarassing for the players too. They’re free and we didn’t make them.”
Southern Indiana has the same four remaining opponents as the women — Western Illinois, Eastern Illinois, Morehead State and Little Rock. Only the Leathernecks are lower on KenPom metrics. USI is currently 344th in the country in adjusted efficiency margin — the offense is worse at 359 out of 365 Division I programs. There’s been opportunities with eight conference losses by single digits.
Regardless of what comes next, it won’t result in a trip downtown for a chance to win the OVC Tournament.
“The number one message on the board was compete,” Gouard said. “No matter the circumstances, whether we make the conference tournament or not, there should be no quitness. You have to continue to instill confidence in our guys that we still believe in them. I want to make sure we finish the season strong, no matter what the scenario is.”
Kyle Sokeland is a sports reporter for the Courier & Press. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @kylesokeland or email at kyle.sokeland@courierpress.com.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Southern Indiana basketball update entering final Ohio Valley games