BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women's basketball team (26-7, 13-5 MAC) travels to Evansville, Indiana for a clash with the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles in the WNIT Super 16 on Thursday at 7pm (EDT).
The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Jordan Fisher (play-by-play) and Payton Buse (color) announcing and can be heard on 1520 AM and the Varsity Network with Jack Kreuzer on the call.
This is the first overall meeting between Buffalo and Southern Indiana. The Bulls are 5-2 all-time against opponents from the Ohio Valley Conference.
Buffalo is 26-7 overall after defeating UMass 84-82 in overtime in the second round. It was a balanced effort as five Bulls scored in double figures, led by Chellia Watson who had a historic day as she scored a game-high 26 points, including the 2,000th point of her storied career. Fifth year guard Noelani Cornfield also had a milestone afternoon as she recorded a double-double with 12 points and a career-high 15 assists, which is one shy of the single-game program record and surpasses the 500 career-assist mark. Senior forwards Jordyn Beaty and Ariana Seawell came up big for the Bulls, scoring 14 and 12 points, respectively, and sophomore Kirsten Lewis-Williams also scored in double figures with 12 points to go with a game-high five steals.
The Bulls are led offensively by Watson who was named First-Team All-MAC and ranks in the top 20 nationally in total points (675), points per game (20.5), field goals made (260) and attempted (581). Lewis-Williams, a Second-Team All-MAC selection, is averaging 13.5 points per game while leading the team in rebounding (5.4 rpg) and Cornfield, who was named to the MAC All-Defensive Team, is also averaging in double figures at 10.7 ppg, while leading the team and ranking 16th nationally in assists per game (5.8) and 15th in total assists (185).
As a team, the Bulls led the league in scoring offense (73.5), scoring margin (+13.3), field goal percentage (.461), assists (16.5), and turnover margin (+7.3) while also ranking in the top three in the MAC in scoring defense (60.2), field goal defense (.386), 3FG defense (.286), steals per game (10.7) and free throw percentage (.766).
Southern Indiana enters Wednesday's Super 16 game with a 23-12 overall record after defeating Campbell 60-51 in the second round. They are 14-2 at Liberty Arena this season. This is the second straight WNIT appearance and 20+ win season for USI. The Screaming Eagles are balanced offensively with three players scoring in double figures, led by First-Team All-Conference selection Meredith Raley who is averaging 14.5 points per game. Second-Team All-Conference honoree Vanessa Shafford (12.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and Ali Saunders (10.5 ppg, 4.6 apg) are also averaging in double figures.
As a team The Eagles ranked top three in the OVC in scoring defense (63.0), turnovers forced (18.3), field-goal percentage defense (.386), three-point defense (.301), and defensive rebounding (26.2). They have also been solid on the glass as they have outrebounded their opponents 22 times this season.
