USI runs out of time at Morehead

MOREHEAD, Ky. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball fought to the final seconds, but ran out of time in falling to Morehead State University, 84-80, Thursday evening at the Johnson Arena in Morehead, Kentucky. The Screaming Eagles go to 8-8 overall and 1-2 in the OVC, while the Morehead Eagles are 9-7, 2-1 OVC.
 
USI dominated the first five minutes of the game, building an early 10-point lead, 19-9. Morehead closed the gap quickly within three minutes on a 9-2 surge, 21-18, before USI boosted the lead back to seven with four quick points, 25-18.
 
The USI Eagles would get the lead back to seven points one more time, 29-22, before a 14-7 Morehead run cut the gap to one point, 37-36, at the intermission.
 
Morehead continued to build off the late first half run by outscoring USI, 30-17, in the first 12 minutes of the second half to lead by 12 points, 66-54. USI closed the gap to seven-points, 69-62, with 5:20 to play on a steal and dunk by senior guard Jelani Simmons (Columbus, Ohio).
 
After Morehead re-extended the lead to as many as 11 points in the final five minutes, the USI Eagles would try to rally in the final minutes with a 15-9 run, getting to within a bucket, 82-80, with 1.5 seconds left before running out of time in the 84-80 final. Sophomore guard Jeremiah Hernandez (Chicago, Illinois) led USI during the final push with seven of the 15 points.
 
Individually, USI was led on the scoreboard by the 25-point performance of sophomore guard Isaiah Swope (Newburgh, Indiana). Swope, who has averaged 18.5 points per game over the last four games, posted his 25 points on eight of 17 from the field, four-of-eight from long range, and five-of-seven from the stripe.
 
Swope was followed by three other USI players in double-digits. Graduate forward Trevor Lakes (Lebanon, Indiana) was second with 11 points, nine coming on three-point field goals, while senior forward Jacob Polakovich (Grand Rapids, Michigan) and Hernanez rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points each.
 
Polakovich grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds to lead USI and complete his fifth double-double of the season. The senior forward also has seven double-figure rebound games this season.  
 
Next Up For USI:
USI comes home to the friendly surroundings of Screaming Eagles Arena Saturday when it hosts Southern Illinois University Edwardsville for a 7:30 p.m. game. The games will be streamed on ESPN+ in addition to being heard on ESPN 97.7FM (http://listentotheref.com) and 95.7FM The Spin (http://957thespin.com).
 
SIUE saw its record go to 11-5 overall and 2-1 in the OVC after defeating Tennessee State University, 81-72, this evening at home. The Cougars were led by sophomore guard Damarco Minor, who had 18 points in the win.
 
SIUE sophomore guard Ray’Sean Taylor leads the Cougars for the season with 14.0 points per game.
 
The USI-SIUE matchup Thursday is the resumption of a series that temporarily ended after the 2007-08 season when the Cougar left the GLVC. SIUE won the last meeting of the two programs in 2007-08, 70-58, but USI had won three of the last four.
 
USI has split the last 10 meetings with SIUE, but is 15-5 against the Cougars in the last 20 games. The Eagles have the longest winning streak in the series, winning 13-straight games between the 1997-98 and the 2003-04 seasons.