The 14th-ranked University of Southern Indiana men’s basketball team celebrated Senior Day with an 81-67 Senior Day victory over McKendree University Saturday afternoon at the Physical Activities Center. USI sees its record go to 25-2 overall and 15-2 in the GLVC, while McKendree goes to 9-16 overall, 3-14 GLVC.
The win sets up a showdown between USI and GLVC East Division leading and fourth-ranked Bellarmine University (23-3, 15-1 GLVC) Thursday at 7 p.m. (CST) in Louisville, Kentucky. A USI win will clinch a share of the 2017 East Division crown.
The game will be broadcast live on NCAA.com and the American Sports Network.
USI’s 25 victory this year is the most since 2013-14 and marks the 14th time in the history of the program.
The Screaming Eagles were blistering from the field in the opening half, hitting seven of the first nine shots, six of which were from beyond the arc. USI would lead by as many as 19 points in the opening half before going into the locker room with a 46-35 advantage.
Sophomore guard Alex Stein (Evansville, Indiana) led the way for the Eagles with 16 points on a red-hot seven-of-eight from the field, two-of-three from long range. Senior guard Bobo Drummond (Peoria, Illinois) followed Stein in double-digits with 10 points on four-of-six from outside, two from downtown.
In the second half, USI’s 11-point halftime lead slipped to five points, 48-43, as McKendree challenged the Eagles in the first five minutes after the intermission. The Eagles responded by methodically rebuilding the lead, re-extending the margin to 17 points in the second half, 75-58, with 4:16 left.
The Bearcats would claw back to within 11 points, 78-67, before junior guard Kyle Aiton (Newburgh, Indiana) sealed the 81-67 victory with a three-point bomb with seven seconds left.
Individually, Stein added 11 points in the second half and finished with a game-high 27 points. He concluded the game with 11-of-14 from the field, three-of-four from beyond, and two-of-two from the line, while dishing six assists and grabbing seven rebounds.
Senior guard/forward Jeril Taylor (Louisville, Kentucky) followed Stein in the scoring column with 14 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Drummond and junior forward DayJar Dickson (Washington, D.C.) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 points each.
