EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball used a dominating third-quarter performance to defeat Midwest Region foe Ohio Dominican University, 77-50, Thursday evening at the Physical Activities Center.
 
The Screaming Eagles (3-0) outscored the Panthers (1-2) 30-6 in the third period to turn a 29-26 halftime deficit into a commanding 56-35 lead heading into the fourth quarter. USI extended its advantage to as much as 29 points late in the contest before settling on the 27-point victory.
 
Senior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) and senior forward Morgan Dahlstrom (Grayslake, Illinois) each had 15 points to lead the Eagles. Grooms finished with a game-high five steals, while Dahlstrom added a game-high nine rebounds, a pair of blocks and four steals.
 
Sophomore guard/forward Morgan Sherwood (Charleston, Illinois) had a career-high 11 points, all of which came in the second half, while junior forward Kacy Eschweiler (St. Charles, Missouri) had 10 points and seven rebounds. Junior guard Alex Davidson (Salem, Indiana) rounded out the Eagles' double-figure scorers with a career-high 10 points and four rebounds.
 
As a team, the Eagles forced Ohio Dominican into 30 turnovers and held a 45-33 advantage on the glass. USI also committed just five offensive miscues in the final 20 minutes after coughing the ball up 16 times in the first half.
 
USI returns to action Saturday at 6 p.m. when it hosts Midwest Region opponent Wayne State University at the PAC. The Warriors (3-0) defeated Oakland City University, 105-36, Thursday night in Oakland City, Indiana.
 
1st Quarter
USI shot just 35.7 percent (5-14) from the field and had eight turnovers as Ohio Dominican built a 17-13 lead after 10 minutes of play. The Panthers used a 5-0 run as well as a couple 4-0 spurts to build a pair of six-point leads. Dahlstrom had seven points and a pair of rebounds to lead USI in the first period.
 
2nd Quarter
The Eagles used a 6-0 run to take a 26-24 advantage, their first lead of the contest, but a 5-0 Ohio Dominican surge allowed the Panthers to reclaim a 29-26 lead heading into the intermission. Grooms had five points in the second quarter to lead the Eagles, who were just 5-of-18 (.278) from the field.
 
3rd Quarter
USI exploded out of the gates, using a pair of 10-0 runs to build a commanding 46-31 advantage. The Eagles, who shot 59.1 percent (13-22) from the field in the third period, outscored the Panthers 30-6 to take a 56-35 lead into the final 10 minutes of the contest. Sherwood had eight points to lead USI in the third frame.
 
4th Quarter
The Eagles scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to cap off a 9-0 run as they extended their advantage to 61-35 early in the period. USI received scoring contributions from eight different players as it outscored the Panthers 21-15 in the final 10 minutes of the contest.