QUINCY, Ill. – The 10th-ranked University of Southern Indiana men’s basketball team got back on track with a hard-fought 78-70 win over Quincy University Saturday afternoon in Quincy, Illinois. USI rises to 10-2 overall and 3-1 in the GLVC, while Quincy goes to 6-7, 1-3 GLVC.
The Screaming Eagles and the Hawks battled to a 13-13 draw through the first six minutes before USI went on a 19-6 run to lead 32-19 with 7:40 left until the intermission. The Eagles would hold onto the double-digit advantage and went into the locker room leading 41-30 at halftime.
USI came out cold in the second stanza, hitting just one-of-13 field goals through the first seven minutes of the half. The Eagles were able to maintain the lead by hitting six-of-eight free throws and led 49-48 with 11:41 remaining.
After cutting the USI lead to 49-48, the Hawks would get to within one point twice more, but could never overtake the Eagles. Quincy would close to within two points once more in the second half, 57-55, before USI used a 6-2 run to push the margin back to eight points, 65-57, with 5:01 to play.
The Hawks made one more run at the Eagles with 3:38 to play, chopping the margin to four, 67-63, but a steal and a dunk by senior guard Kenyon Smith (Chicago, Illinois) moved the margin back to eight and sealed the game for the Eagles.
USI was able to extend the lead back to double-digits in the final minute, widening the margin to 12 points, 77-65, before settling for the 78-70 victory.
The Eagles had a tough day from the field overall, shooting just 36.2 percent (25-69), but converted 67.6 percent of their free throws (23-34) and outrebounded the Hawks, 51-43.
Individually, senior center Keith DeWitt (High Point, North Carolina) led the Eagles with a monster double-double of 18 points and 18 rebounds. DeWitt was followed by junior forward Aaron Nelson (Chicago Heights, Illinois), who had 15 points and was nine-of-10 from the charity stripe.
Smith posted a season-high 15 points, while junior forward Orlando Rutledge (Louisville, Kentucky) and senior guard Melvyn Little (Louisville, Kentucky) had 11 points each to round out the double-figure scorers. The 11 points also was a season-best for Little, who hit three-straight three-point bombs in the first half.
The Eagles return to the friendly surroundings of the Physical Activities Center Thursday when they host Saint Joseph’s College for a 7:30 p.m. contest. USI concludes the short two-game homestand January 19 when the University of Indianapolis visits for a 3:15 p.m. contest.
