Basketball fans in Indiana are gearing up for a thrilling start to 2026 as two of the state’s most anticipated hoops events take center stage this week. While Southeast Missouri women’s basketball prepares for a pivotal Ohio Valley Conference clash against Southern Indiana, just up the road, the 5th annual LaPorte Invitational promises to showcase the future stars of the game on a national stage.
Let’s start in Evansville, where the Southeast Missouri Redhawks (5-8 overall, 1-3 OVC) are set to tip off against the surging Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles (9-4, 3-1 OVC) at Liberty Arena on Thursday, January 8, at 5:00 p.m. CT. This isn’t just another midseason matchup—it’s the 19th meeting between these two programs and the seventh since Southern Indiana joined the Division I ranks and the OVC in 2022. While Southeast Missouri still boasts a 12-6 all-time edge, the Division I era has belonged to the Screaming Eagles, who lead 5-1 and have captured four straight wins in the series.
The Redhawks, led by head coach Briley Palmer (88-73 overall; 11-33 at SEMO in her second season), are hoping to reverse recent fortunes after a tough 58-51 home loss to Western Illinois last Saturday. Guard Carmen Taylor paced SEMO with 11 points, while Lexi McCully and Ainaya Williams chipped in 10 apiece. Despite shooting just 32.1% from the field, the Redhawks excelled at the free-throw line, hitting 85.7% of their attempts and scoring 30 of their 51 points in the paint.
SEMO’s conference campaign has been a mixed bag so far. Through four OVC games, the Redhawks are averaging 64.8 points per game, with center Ainaya Williams leading the charge at 14.8 PPG. Taylor follows closely at 11.8 PPG, but the team’s 1-3 conference record means there’s little room for error as they hit the road. Overall, the Redhawks rank fourth in the OVC in team offense, averaging 70.2 points per game across 13 contests. Southern Indiana sits just ahead at 71.5 PPG, setting up a potentially high-scoring affair.
Williams has been a force off the bench lately, delivering double-digit scoring in her last two outings and averaging 12.2 PPG on the season. The Redhawks also welcomed back center Aa’Mya Stacker from injury, who’s made her presence felt with a basket in each of the last three games and a season-high eight points against William Woods. Stacker’s return adds much-needed depth to SEMO’s frontcourt rotation.
From beyond the arc, Carmen Taylor has been letting it fly with confidence. She leads the team with 28 made threes and ranks fourth in the OVC with 2.2 per game, shooting 30.8% from deep. Taylor’s season-high of seven threes in a single game came earlier this year at Arizona State—proof that she can heat up in a hurry when the moment calls for it.
Defensively, the Redhawks have been disruptive, ranking sixth in the OVC with 111 steals (8.54 per game). But they’ll face their toughest test yet against a Southern Indiana squad that leads the league in steals with a staggering 144 (11.08 per game). The battle for turnovers could prove decisive, as SEMO owns a +3.2 turnover margin, forcing 19.5 turnovers per game while only committing 213 on the season.
Sharing the ball has also been a Redhawk strength. The team averages nearly 14 assists per game, good for third in the conference. Guard Raissa Nsabua leads the way with 48 assists in 12 games (4.0 APG), while also shooting an impressive 80.6% from the free-throw line. Taylor, meanwhile, has been nearly automatic from the stripe, converting 94.1% of her attempts and missing just once all season.
Freshman Zoey Rixter has emerged as the team’s leading rebounder, pulling down 71 boards in 13 games (5.5 RPG) and ranking 15th in the OVC. Sophomore Kearra Jones has made the most of her recent starting opportunities, highlighted by a career-best 18-point performance against William Woods and a solid showing against Western Illinois.
Consistency has been the name of the game for graduate guard Lexi McCully, who has started all 13 games this season and 26 straight dating back to last year. She leads the team in scoring at 13.1 PPG and continues to be a steady presence on both ends of the floor.
As for shooting, SEMO sits sixth in the OVC in both offensive (40.5%) and defensive (39.1% allowed) field goal percentage. Southern Indiana, meanwhile, leads the league in defensive field goal percentage at 35.3%, adding another layer of intrigue to Thursday’s matchup. The Redhawks will need to be sharp if they hope to snap USI’s winning streak and climb the conference standings.
Not far away in LaPorte, Indiana, the spotlight shines on the next generation of basketball stars as the 5th annual LaPorte Invitational tips off from January 9 to 11. This prestigious high school tournament, nationally televised on ESPN, is quickly becoming a must-see event for fans and scouts alike. La Lumiere, the host school, welcomed the media for an open practice on Wednesday as teams finalized preparations for the three-day showcase.
The LaPorte Invitational has built a reputation for featuring elite talent, with more than 25 McDonald’s All Americans and over 20 NBA draft picks gracing its courts in previous years. The 2025 NBA Draft’s first overall pick, Cooper Flagg, is among its notable alumni. This year’s field is stacked once again, with several of ESPN’s top-ranked high school players and major college recruits ready to compete. Notre Dame men’s basketball commit Jonathan Sanderson is one of the headliners, eager to test himself against the nation’s best.
La Lumiere head coach Pat Holmes is proud of how the event has grown. “This is the fifth year that we have run the event. It’s kind of grown every year since. Just a great community event. Awesome that we get to play three high level games in our backyard and have the community’s support,” Holmes said. “To bring these nationally ranked teams in our backyard for the local community to see is just a great feeling and a great tradition that we look forward to keep going.”
Sanderson echoed the team’s confidence and focus. “We first believed that we can be where we are right now. We just got to keep going but the work that we put in and the preparation, we just got to keep going,” he said. The message is clear: La Lumiere is embracing the challenge and the opportunity the Invitational presents.
With tickets on sale and excitement building, the LaPorte Invitational is set to deliver three days of high-octane basketball, offering fans a glimpse at the stars of tomorrow. Meanwhile, in Evansville, SEMO and Southern Indiana are ready to write the next chapter in their rivalry. One thing’s for sure—Indiana basketball is alive and well, and this week, all eyes will be on the Hoosier State as the action unfolds.