Eagles aim to reverse course this week

USI live on ESPNU Thursday​​​​​​​

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball aims to reverse course and snap a three-game losing streak this week when it hosts the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Thursday and the University of Tennessee Martin Saturday. Thursday’s game with Little Rock will have special 8 p.m. start time due to the live broadcast on ESPNU, while Saturday’s tip versus UT Martin returns to the normal 7:30 p.m.
 
The OVC men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader will be a special Whiteout Night at Screaming Eagles Arena Thursday when USI hosts Little Rock. Fans should come out wearing white apparel to whiteout Screaming Eagles Arena and show their #ScreaglePride! The women’s game tips off at 5 p.m. and the men’s game is at 8 p.m.
 
USI students should come out and pack the Penn Station Student Section inside Screaming Eagles Arena. The first 250 students to enter at the student entrance for the USI Basketball doubleheader will receive a free t-shirt and a rally towel provided by Liberty Federal Credit Union. Plus, USI students can enter a raffle giveaway for a PS5, courtesy of USI Housing and Residence Life.
 
Tickets to both games can be purchased online at usi.universitytickets.com.
 
USI Men’s Basketball (8-9, 1-3 OVC) is coming off a 0-2 week in conference play after suffering a hard fought 84-80 loss on the road at Morehead State University and the first home loss of the season, 69-62, versus Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Sophomore guard Isaiah Swope (Newburgh, Indiana) led the Eagles in last week’s games, averaging 22.0 points and 4.0 assists per game.
 
Swope, who has averaged 18.6 points over the last five contests, had a team-high 25 points in the loss at Morehead State and 19 points in the loss to SIUE.
 
For the season, graduate forward Trevor Lakes (Lebanon, Indiana) took over the team lead in scoring with 13.1 points per game and is followed by senior guard Jelani Simmons and Swope with 12.9 points and 12.8 points per outing, respectively. Senior forward Jacob Polakovich rounds out the double-digit scorers with 11.1 points per outing and is posting a team-best 11.3 rebounds per game.
 
Little Rock (5-12, 1-3) lost its third-straight in falling to Southeast Missouri State University, 74-68, this afternoon at home. The Trojans, who also have lost four of their last five, were led by sophomore guard D.J. Smith with 14 points.
 
Senior guard Myron Gardner leads four Trojans in double-figures with 13.9 points per game. He also is grabbing a team-high 9.6 rebounds per game.
 
The USI-Little Rock match-up Thursday will be the first meeting between the two programs in men’s basketball.
 
The UT Martin Skyhawks (10-7, 2-2 OVC) are 3-2 in the last five games, despite falling in their last game at Tennessee Tech University, 84-80, in overtime. UT Martin has posted wins over Morehead State University and Southeast Missouri State University and stumbling to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Tennessee Tech.
 
UT Martin has three players in double-digits for 2022-23, led by graduate guard Parker Stewart with 17.1 points per game.
 
The Skyhawks won the last meeting with USI in 1992 and hold a 5-3 advantage in the series, but the Eagles have won three of the last five matchups. USI is 3-2 at home, while UT Martin is 3-0 when hosting the Eagles.
 
Thursday’s USI-Little Rock men’s basketball game will be broadcast live on ESPNU. All 2022-23 games are normally streamed on ESPN+ in addition to being heard on ESPN 97.7FM (http://listentotheref.com) and 95.7FM The Spin (http://957thespin.com).