EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball won the second half, but lost the 2023-24 home opener to Chicago State University, 78-67, Sunday afternoon at Screaming Eagles Arena. The Screaming Eagles start the year 0-3, while Chicago State begins 2023-24, 1-2.
The Cougars took command of the game in the first half. Chicago State raced out to a  25-point margin, 41-16, before USI closed the difference to 19 in the final minute of the half. USI junior forward Jack Mielke (Downers Grove, Indiana) sank a pair of three-pointers from the left side to end the first 20 minutes with a 41-22 score.
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In the second half, USI’s offense gained momentum and with a 16-5 run cut the deficit to 10 points, 55-45, with 9:43 to play when junior guard Jeremiah Hernandez (Chicago, Illinois) dunked in his 10th and 11th points of the game and his seventh and eighth points of the run. The Cougars re-extended the lead back to 16, 65-49, before the Eagles could make another run at the end of the contest.
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The final two minutes of the game saw USI cut the margin to seven points, 67-60, with an 11-2 run that was capped off by a dunk by Hernandez. Hernandez and sophomore guard/forward AJ Smith (Edwardsville, Illinois) led the Eagles during the run with five points each.
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Time would run out on the Eagles as the Cougars pushed the difference back to double-digits, including a pair of 13 point leads in the final minutes. USI made one more run with a 5-0 sprint before Chicago State hit the final bucket in a 78-67 decision.
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On the stat sheet, Smith led the Eagles with a career-best 21 points and 16 rebounds. The sophomore, who had 15 points in the second half, was six-of-14 from the field and nine-of-10 from the stripe. He also had eight rebounds in each half.
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Hernandez followed USI in the scoring column with 18 points, scoring all 18 in the second half. Mielke rounded out the USI double-digit scorers with 10 points.
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Next Up For USI:
USI continues its two-game homestand Tuesday when it hosts Tiffin University. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Screaming Eagles Arena.
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The Eagles hold a 6-0 advantage all-time over the Dragons, winning the last meeting in 2019, 105-89.
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The Dragons are 2-0 after sweeping a pair of games in the G-MAC/GLVC Crossover at Ohio Dominican University Friday and Saturday. Tiffin defeated McKendree University, 68-65, and Lewis University, 71-66.
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