EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball opens the 2025-26 regular season Wednesday when the Screaming Eagles visit Butler University for a 6 p.m. (CT) contest in Indianapolis, Indiana. The opening week will end November 7 at Liberty Arena when USI hosts Virginia Military Institute for the home opener at 7:30 p.m.
The USI-Butler showdown will be played at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and the USI-VMI contests will air live on ESPN+. The game can also be heard on ESPN 97.7FM (http://listentotheref.com) and 95.7FM The Spin (http://957thespin.com).
USI’s home opening game versus VMI also is a part of a men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader at Liberty Arena. USI Women’s Basketball takes on Murray State at 5 p.m., before the men’s game.
The Eagles are coming off their third season of NCAA Division I play that saw them post a 10-20 overall record, 5-15 in the Ohio Valley Conference. USI has completed its transition to Division I with the end of last season and is now NCAA Tournament eligible in 2025-26.
The Eagles are expected to be ninth in the OVC this season in a vote of the head coaches and athletic communication staff.
Butler, which was 15-20 overall in 2024-25, was picked 10th in the Big East preseason coaches poll. The Bulldogs open the year with an exhibition loss to the University of Notre Dame, 77-76, and an exhibition win over Indiana State University, 105-80.
VMI, which was 15-19 overall last year, is picked to place sixth in the Southern Conference 2025-26 preseason poll. The Keydets open the year November 3 at home against Johnson & Wales University in Lexington, Virginia.
USI, which is slated to host 14 home games this year at Liberty Arena, has single-game tickets on sale now on USIScreamingEagles.com.
