University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball concluded the ninth-annual Bill Joergens Memorial Classic with a disappointing 86-69 loss to fifth-ranked Midwestern State University Saturday night at the Physical Activities Center. USI goes to 4-2 overall and 3-1 on the six-game homestand, while MSU sees its record go to 5-1 in 2015-16.
In the first half, the Mustangs raced out to an early 11-2 lead and quickly built a double-digit lead that they maintained through the first 20 minutes. Midwestern State would hold USI to 32.4 percent from the field in the first half (11-34) and had a 45-30 lead at the intermission.
The Screaming Eagles would fight their way back into the game in the second half, slicing the deficit to five points on three times in the 13 minutes following halftime. Midwestern State, however, would instantly re-extend the margin to nearly double-digits as USI began to see its rallies thwarted by the Mustangs.
In the final seven minutes of the contest, Midwestern State made their final 24-12 run and end the game with an 86-69 victory.
USI junior guard Jeril Taylor (Louisville, Kentucky) led the Eagles individually with his third double-double of the season and the homestand, 15 points and 10 rebounds. Junior guard Bobo Drummond (Peoria, Illinois) and freshman guard Alex Stein (Evansville, Indiana) rounded out USI’s double-digit scorers with 13 points each. Drummond also had a team-high four assists.
In Saturday night’s first game, number-one ranked Bellarmine University got back on track with an 86-64 victory over Ohio Valley University.
USI enters the final third of the six-game homestand next weekend when it opens Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Eagles are slated to host McKendree University December 3 at 7:30 p.m. before concluding the homestand and the first weekend of GLVC play against the University of Illinois-Springfield December 5 at 3:15 p.m.
