University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball has a cornucopia of games slated for Thanksgiving week, beginning with a match-up against Kentucky State University Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Physical Activities Center. The Thanksgiving calendar concludes on Friday and Saturday when the Screaming Eagles host the eighth-annual Bill Joergens Memorial Classic at the PAC.
The 2015 Bill Joergens Memorial Classic features USI, nationally top-ranked Bellarmine University, sixth-ranked Midwestern State University, and Ohio Valley University. The classic begins at 5:15 p.m. Friday when Bellarmine plays Midwestern State, followed by USI taking on Ohio Valley at 7:30 p.m. The conclusion of the classic is Saturday when Bellarmine and Ohio Valley play at 5:15 p.m. and USI and Midwestern State tip off at 7:30 p.m.
Game coverage for USI Men’s Basketball games, including live stats, audio and video, is available at GoUSIEagles.com. The Eagle games also can be heard over the air on WEOA 98.5FM/1400AM and WPSR 90.7FM.
This Week’s USI Men’s Basketball Quick Notes:Â
Eagles win 32nd-straight home opener. USI won its 32nd-straight home opener in the victory over Lees-McRae College, 118-104, last week.
Non-conference foes have tough going against USI. USI is 193-23 (.894) against non-GLVC teams during the last 23 seasons. Of the 23 losses, two have come in the NCAA Division II Tournament Finals and three in the NCAA II Great Lakes Regional. USI also has won 50-straight non-conference games at the PAC since losing to Northwest Missouri State University in 2007-08.
Going over the century mark. USI’s 118 points versus Lees-McRae was the first time the Eagles had eclipse the 100-point plateau since the 2013-14 season and the first time at the Physical Activities Center since the 2012-13 campaign. The 118-104 USI-Lees-McRae score also marked the first Eagles game with both teams scoring 100-or-more points since the 2002-03 season.
Drummond has career and record night versus Lees-McRae. Junior guard Bobo Drummond posted a career-high 24 points versus Lees-McRae and set a USI single-game record of seven-of-seven from beyond the three-point arc. The old USI record of six-of-six was matched twice, including the last time by Geoff Van Winkle as a freshman in 2004.
Double Double-Double Trouble. Junior forward Terrence Tisdell and junior guard Jeril Taylor posted their first USI double-doubles as Eagles in the win over Lees-McRae. Tisdell had 20 points and a game-high 11 rebounds versus the Bobcats, while Taylor dropped in 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, nine boards coming on the defensive end.
The Eagles win the battle on the boards. The Eagles won the battle on the boards with the Bobcats, 45-36, and have outrebounded the opposition 149 of 180 games during Head Coach Rodney Watsontenure at the helm.
USI vs. Kentucky State. The Thorobreds of KSU are 1-2 to start 2015-16 after losing in overtime time to Wilberforce University, defeating Asbury University and falling to Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis.
Kentucky State in 2015-16. The Thorobreds of KSU lost their season opener, 72-70, over Wilberforce University. They are slated to play Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis on Saturday before visiting USI.
History of the Bill Joergens Memorial Classic. The Bill Joergens Memorial Classic is dedicated to the memory of Bill Joergens, who played on the first USI men’s basketball team in the late 1960s and continued his support of USI Athletics by becoming chair of the Varsity Club. A part of Joergens’ legacy is the development of the Varsity Club Steak Fry and Auction, which has raised nearly $500,000 since 1992. Upon losing his battle with cancer, Joergens left a major portion of his estate to the USI men’s basketball program. The estate funds this tournament and fifth-year scholarship aid for USI men’s basketball players, who have exhausted their eligibility.
USI in the Bill Joergens Memorial Classic. USI is 13-1 in the Bill Joergens Memorial Classic that began in the 2007-08 season. The Eagles outscored their opponents in the six previous classics, 82.9-66.6 (1326-1065).
USI vs. Ohio Valley. The Eagles hold a 5-0 all-time series record over the Fighting Scots, including last season’s 84-83 win over Ohio Valley in the Bellarmine Classic.
Ohio Valley in 2015-16. The Fighting Scots of Ohio Valley are 1-3 in 2015-16, losing their last three games after winning the season opener. Ohio Valley plays at Texas A&M International University Tuesday before visiting the PAC this weekend.
USI vs. Midwestern State. USI and Midwestern State will be playing each other for the first time in men’s basketball during the Bill Joergens Memorial Classic.
Midwestern State in 2015-16. The Mustangs of Midwestern State are a perfect 3-0 to start the 2015-16 campaign and ranked sixth-nationally. Midwestern State, which plays at Colorado State University-Pueblo Tuesday before traveling to USI, is averaging 95.3 points per contest through the first three games.
