University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball used a 31-7 first-half run to rocket by the University of Illinois Springfield, 85-64, Saturday afternoon at the Physical Activities Center. USI, which ends the six-game homestand with a 5-1 mark, takes its overall record to 6-2 Â and opens GLVC play, 2-0, while Illinois Springfield falls to 3-5 in 2015-16, 0-2 GLVC.
The Screaming Eagles spotted the Prairie Stars a 6-0 lead in the opening minutes before turning on the jets with a 31-7 run and take a commanding 31-13 lead with 8:35 left before halftime. USI was a blistering 12-of-17 (70.6 percent) from the field during the run and was led by the 14-point outburst by junior guard Jeril Taylor(Louisville, Kentucky). Taylor, who had a team-high 16 first half points, scored the final 10 points of the run, including back-to-back long range bombs.
Illinois Springfield, however, was not about to go quietly as it cut the USI 18-point advantage to eight points, 38-30, before the Eagles re-extended the lead to 12 points, 45-33, at halftime.
In the second half, the USI-lead would shrink once again to eight-points, 45-37, before the Eagles ignited the offensive afterburners and pushed the lead to as many as 25 points, 76-51, with 7:42 to play in the game. USI did not see its lead fall below 20 points the rest of the way in posting the 85-64 GLVC-victory.
Individually, USI junior guard Bobo Drummond (Peoria, Illinois) led the Eagles offensively with 23 points. Drummond was a red-hot nine-of-13 from the field, five-of-eight from beyond the arc, while also dishing out three assists.
Taylor followed Drummond in the scoring column with 20 points, adding six points in the second half. He was eight-of-14 from the field and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.
USI junior guard Cortez Macklin (Louisville, Kentucky) rounded out the double-digit scorers with a season-high 18 points. He was a blistering seven-of-nine from the field, four-of-six from long range, in his best game of the season.
As a team, the Eagles shot 55.9 percent for the game (33-59), lobbing in a season-high 13 three-point field goals. USI also won the battle of the boards, 40-23.
The Eagles return to non-conference, neutral court action next weekend when they travel to Louisville, Kentucky, to play in the Bellarmine Classic. USI is scheduled to play Shaw University Friday and St. Catharine College Saturday. Game time both days is 4 p.m. (CST) with live coverage available on GoUSIEagles.com.
