​Heading into the 2026-2027 season, Southern Indiana women’s basketball is dealing with some ideal circumstances.In an era of college basketball dominated by the transfer portal, continuity has become uncommon. But for the Screaming Eagles, that will not be the case.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMore: Unity is apparent for new-look Southern Indiana men’s basketball1 / 26The University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles cheer as they play the SIU-Edwardsville Cougars during the quarterfinal round of the 2026 Ohio Valley Conference Women’s Basketball championship games at Ford Center Thursday, March 5, 2026.(MaCabe Brown / Courier & Press)After a 21-11 season and third-place finish in the Ohio Valley Conference, 11 players return to Rick Stein’s group. Southern Indiana’s coach has gotten a chance to see them, and his three newcomers, on court over the last two months.“11 returners is unbelievable, almost unheard of,” Stein said. “I think that when you leave in June, you better not be talking about newcomers and returnees. You better be talking about 14 strong and making sure you’re in a good place as a team, so when you return in July, you aren’t trying to start that process again.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementStein appreciates the time he has had with his players, but with the demands of a long college basketball season in mind, he approaches the summer with some precaution.Considering their three straight WNIT appearances and winning seasons, the Screaming Eagles will not want to experience any burnout with postseason basketball surely on the agenda.“Summer is really important, but I think you can wear them out too,” Stein said.While roster continuity is of benefit, Stein does not want complacency to set in. This is a new year and a new team. And as one of the OVC’s best, a target will certainly be on Southern Indiana.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementStein is looking for his team to remain grounded.“You got to be careful because when you have 11 returners, you can’t rest on it,” Stein said. “We lost a couple really good senior guards. Team dynamics change, leadership changes and roles change. A lot of that starts to form right now in the middle of the summer.”Southern Indiana’s Ali Saunders (11) drives as the University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles play the SIU-Edwardsville Cougars during the quarterfinal round of the 2026 Ohio Valley Conference Women’s Basketball championship games at Ford Center Thursday, March 5, 2026.Among those guards is Ali Saunders — an integral part to the Screaming Eagles’ success in recent seasons. Saunders led the team in scoring with a 17.8 average last season.Replacing the All-OVC First Team guard is not happening. So, how will the absence of Saunders’ contributions be accounted for?AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn the grand scheme of things, nothing changes. This is not the first team Southern Indiana has lost a talented player to