The USI women's basketball team is about to go national, but it's driven by a local force

EVANSVILLE — This season is why Meredith Raley chose to play for the University of Southern Indiana.

Let’s be clear: The journey hasn’t been perfect. The school's transition to Division I basketball has been met with some unforeseen bumps. The senior also has a second home in the training room, her knees fighting her competitiveness on the court.

What USI is experiencing now? Raley said it's made it all worth it.

“She was a high-impact person from day one,” said USI coach Rick Stein. “She certainly represents everything we want on this campus and in the Evansville community.”

More: Bracket revealed: Here's who USI women's basketball will face in the WNIT

Southern Indiana (24-6) opens the WNIT against Illinois-Chicago on Thursday at home, the reward for a season deserving a spot in the Screaming Eagles Arena trophy case. The Ohio Valley Conference regular season and tournament champions are playing postseason basketball in their second year of Division I membership.

Raley has played a major role in that.

The Gibson Southern High School graduate is averaging 12.2 points and 5.9 rebounds, both good for second on the team, on 48 percent shooting. She leads USI in free throws − both made and attempted. The 6-foot forward has also hit a career-high 29 threes. Her improvement year over year hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Raley scored her 1,000th career point in January against Morehead State and earned a First Team All-OVC selection. She was named the OVC Tournament MVP.

“We’ve worked so hard since we came in the summer,” said Raley. “This year has been the best possible you could ever think of. We’re not turning in jerseys or practice gear. We’re still playing basketball.”

None of it is surprising if you ask Gibson Southern girls' basketball coach Kyle Brasher. He started in the jobas Raley entered her junior season. What she did the next two years set the tone for his program.

The accolades from her high school days are numerous: fourth on the all-time scoring list, the most points in a single game (40), honorable mention All-State, Courier & Press All-SW Indiana Player of the Year as a senior. A sectional championship in 2019.

Gibson Southern won the Class 3A state championship last month, but even that journey began with Raley, Brasher said.

“I thought what Meredith did for us was invaluable,” said Brasher. “The players who’ve had great success are the ones constantly working. This generation, the Meredith Raley group is who they looked up to. It shows a small school like us in Southwest Indiana can still produce great basketball players that go onto great programs and do big things at the next level.”

Stein concurs.

Raley has improved in nearly every metric since her freshman season. Her shooting and rebounding are career highs. Raley is constantly fighting for every ounce of space, undoubtedly a trait she learned at home – her older sister, Maddie, enjoyed a strong high school career, then played at Missouri S&T. Her father Jamie played in college.

Stein also points to the impact away from the spotlight. Raley is one of his captains.

“(She's) such a well-rounded player who does so many things for us,” said Stein. “Her work ethic is tremendous. Leadership is part of her DNA. She leads by example and what she says and how she says it. She understands the balance of when it’s time to say something or listen.”

Many of those experiences and lessons in Fort Branch, Indiana, played a role in arriving in Evansville. Raley jokes Stein is “100 times more intense” than Brasher but in a good way. She still saw many similarities in both programs.

“I saw a lot of coach Brasher in coach Stein,” said Raley. “It’s the family atmosphere. That’s how I experienced Gibson Southern with a lot of close friends playing basketball. Even coming here to USI, we had that family chemistry right away. It prepared me in the best possible way.”

The Screaming Eagles went 12-17 last year and missed the OVC Tournament. The adjustment to Division I was eye-opening for the team. The program needed to be better, faster and stronger to compete.

It’s also been a fight for Raley to be on the court.

Her knee problems started in high school. She missed the entire summer prior to her junior year a (fracture and two bruised bones) and a posterior cruciate ligament injury the next summer. It’s one reason Brasher believes she was overlooked by some schools.

There have been subtle signs this winter − including a scare against SIU-Edwardsville when Raley was tripped by a defender. Asking her to sit out, even as a precaution, has been a non-starter.

“It’s something I’m used to,” Raley said. “I’m pushing through it at this point. I want to be on the court with my teammates and contribute. I’m just lucky that I’m able to do this.”

The Screaming Eagles aren’t eligible for the NCAA Tournament for two more years as a program transitioning from Division II. They're still focused on winning basketball games. Should they defeat UIC, the second round matchup will be Wisconsin. All games are played on campus locations with the championship scheduled for April 6.

“It would have been heartbreaking to win (the OVC) and turn in gear,” said Stein. “This team wants to play more basketball. This group is all in.”

The best part for Raley? It won’t be her final game for Southern Indiana. She confirmed last week she’ll return for a fifth season, an opportunity given to all student athletes with a season affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In her case, it was her freshman year.

The Screaming Eagles already have two championships this season. How about a third?

“Our goal is to win the thing,” said Raley. “We can definitely make an impact and get our name out there. Hopefully, put the NCAA on notice and change that rule. To know I still have another year with these amazing people, it’s a great feeling. We’re still trying to make the most of what we have right now.”

Follow Courier & Press sports reporter Kyle Sokeland on X (formerly Twitter) @kylesokeland.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Gibson Southern grad Meredith Raley helps lead USI women to WNIT berth