University of Southern Indiana men’s basketball team concluded the 2017 Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic with an 88-75 victory over 24th-ranked Kentucky Wesleyan College Saturday evening at the Ford Center. USI starts the 2017-18 campaign 1-1, while KWC ends the classic, 1-1.
The Screaming Eagles busted out of the gate to start the game, racing out to a 47-28 lead by the intermission. USI took command during the opening 20 minutes with a 20-8 run with 5:08 to play and would lead by as many as 21 points (47-26).
USI senior guard Marcellous Washington (Lexington, Indiana) paced the Eagles during the opening half with 10 points on three-of-four from the field and two-of-three from long range.
The Eagles would continue to cruise offensively in the second half. USI, whose lead would never fall below 13 points in the final 20 minutes, re-extended the margin to 21 points, 81-60, with four minutes to play before settling for the 88-75 victory.
USI freshman forward Emmanuel Little (Indianapolis, Indiana) led the Eagles with his first double-double of his career, 17 points and 10 rebounds. Little was seven-of-12 from the field and three-of-eight from the line, while grabbing four offensive and six defensive boards.
Washington and freshman guard Mateo Rivera (Indianapolis, Indiana) followed Little in the scoring column with 16 points each, while senior forward DayJar Dickson (Washington, D.C.) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 13 points.
As a team, USI shot 50 percent from the field (31-62), 50.0 percent from downtown (9-16), and 76.2 percent from the charity stripe (16-21). The Eagles also outrebounded the Panthers 34-31.
USI hits the road next week, beginning with an exhibition game at 7:30 p.m. Monday versus Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. The Eagles resume regular season action in the G-MAC/GLVC Challenge at Malone University in Canton, Ohio, taking on Hillsdale College November 10 at 5 p.m. (CST) and Malone University November 11 at 6 p.m. (CST).
