Lakes named OVC Newcomer of the Week Eagles open OVC action this week

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball graduate forward Trevor Lakes (Lebanon, Indiana) was named the Ohio Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week for his efforts in the Screaming Eagles’ split at the Indiana Classic at Purdue University Ft. Wayne last week. The weekly honor is the second for Lakes this season.
 
The graduate forward started his week with a collegiate career-best 30-point performance in the 87-74 win over Indiana University/Purdue University Indianapolis. He tied a USI and Ohio Valley Conference record with 10 three-point field goals in the victory.
 
Lakes finished the week with a double-double, posting 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, in USI’s loss to Ft. Wayne, 83-59. The double-double was Lakes’ second of the season with all 10 rebounds coming on the defensive end.
 
For the week, Lakes averaged 20.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game. He also shot 43.3 percent from the field (13-30) and 54.2 percent from long range (13-24).
 
USI (7-6) starts OVC action this weekend when it hosts Southeast Missouri State University Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Screaming Eagles Arena and when it goes on the road to visit Eastern Illinois University Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. tip in Charleston, Illinois.
 
The Eagles, who have won four of their last five games, have four players averaging in double-digits and led by senior guard Jelani Simmons (Columbus, Ohio), who is posting 14.3 points per game. Lakes follows Simmons in the scoring column with 12.9 points per outing.
 
Sophomore guard Isaiah Swope (Newburgh, Indiana) and senior forward Jacob Polakovich (Grand Rapids, Michigan) round out the double-digit scorers with 10.9 points and 10.4 points per game, respectively. Polakovich also leads the team on the glass with 9.8 rebounds per contest.
 
SEMO comes to visit Screaming Eagles Arena amid a seven-game losing streak and a 5-8 record after non-conference action. Sophomore guard Phillip Russell leads the Redhawks with 16.2 points per game, while senior guard Israel Barnes and senior guard Chris Harris round out the double-digit scorers with 14.8 points and 12.4 points per contest, respectively. 
 
USI trails the all-time series with SEMO, 3-2. SEMO has taken games one, four, and five of the series, while USI took the middle two. The Redhawks have won the last two, including the meeting in the NCAA II Central Regional in 1990 at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The Eagles are 1-1 in games with SEMO played in Evansville.
 
EIU finished non-conference action with a 4-9 mark and back-to-back wins, including a road victory at the University of Iowa. The Panthers are led by junior guard Kinyon Hodges, who is posting 13.3 points per game, and graduate guard Yaakema Rose, who is averaging 10.5 points per outing.
 
USI is 2-1 all-time against EIU and won the last meeting, an exhibition game 95-92, in 2017. The Eagles have won the last two regular season contests, defeating the Panthers on the road, 72-70, in 1980-81, and at home, 81-78, in the 1982-83 season. EIU took the first ever meeting, 79-67 in the 1978 NCAA II Great Lakes Regional.