EVANSVILLE — The University of Southern Indiana women’s basketball program announced its non-conference schedule for the 2025-26 season on Thursday, Aug. 21.
The highlight is a late December visit to eight-time national champion Tennessee. The Lady Volunteers are the only women’s basketball program in the country to have made every NCAA Tournament since its inception in 1982. Tennessee went 24-10 last season and reached the Sweet Sixteen in its first year under coach Kim Caldwell.
Advertisement
More: Breaking down Southern Indiana men’s basketball’s 2025-26 non-conference schedule
The visit to Knoxville comes after the start of Ohio Valley Conference play with visits from Little Rock (Dec. 18) and Morehead State (Dec. 20).
The other Division I opponents are home games with Missouri Valley Conference champion Murray State (52 last season in NCAA NET rankings) and Middle Tennessee State (54), plus trips to Saint Louis (199), Northern Kentucky (242), and Eastern Tennessee State (182).
“Every year, our goal is to create a schedule that will prepare us for an extremely tough 20-game OVC season,” Southern Indiana coach Rick Stein said in a press release. “No question that we have put together one of the toughest schedules that we could find, which includes a solid balance of home and away games.”
Southern Indiana’s Ali Saunders (11) takes a shot as the University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles play the Campbell University Fighting Camels in the second round of the WNIT at Liberty Arena in Evansville, Ind., Sunday, March 23, 2025.
USI went 23-13 last year and advanced to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament semifinals. The season concluded with a loss to Buffalo in the WNIT Super 16. The Screaming Eagles graduated the bulk of the lineup but do return senior guard Ali Saunders (10.5 points per game), junior guard Sophia Loden (5.9), junior forward Amiyah Buchanan (5.4), and junior center Chloe Gannon (5.2). There are seven newcomers on the 2025-26 roster.
Advertisement
One note: USI is a finally full-time Division I member this season, completing the required transition period from Division II a year early. The Screaming Eagles would therefore be eligible for the NCAA Tournament. Below is the full non-conference schedule:
2025-26 Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball Schedule
-
Nov. 3: vs. Franklin College
-
Nov. 30: at Northern Kentucky
-
Dec. 6: at East Tennessee State
-
Dec. 14: vs. Middle Tennessee State
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Southern Indiana women’s basketball 2025-26 non-conference schedule
