The 24th-ranked University of Southern Indiana men’s basketball team was dominating in a 100-62 victory over Martin Methodist College Friday afternoon during the first day of the Bellarmine University Classic in Louisville, Kentucky. USI sees its record go to 10-0 overall for the eighth time in the history of the program, while Martin Methodist is 5-7 in 2016-17.
The Screaming Eagles rushed out to an early eight point lead, 17-9, before the Redhawks made a run to pull to within one, 19-18, at the 10:22 mark. USI took command from that point, going on a 15-2 run, to lead 34-20 with 5:07 left before the intermission.
The Eagle would lead by as many as 17 points, 46-29, in the opening half when junior forward Julius Rajala (Finland) hit a pair of free throws with 1:27 on the clock. USI would settle for a 14-point lead, 46-32, at the break.
Senior guard Jeril Taylor (Louisville, Kentucky) and Rajala were dominating during the opening half, posting 12 and 11 points, respectively, as USI dominated Martin Methodist in the paint, 20-8.
In the second half, Martin Methodist made a quick run by hitting a pair of three-point field goals to close USI’s halftime advantage to eight points, 46-38. This would be as close as the Redhawks would come as the Eagles reeled off an 18-2 run to put the game out of reach, 64-40.
USI continued to expand the lead throughout the second until posting the largest lead of the game, 38 points, in the final 100-62 score. Junior center Davis Carter (Denver, Colorado) propelled USI during the final 20 minutes, scoring 20 points on nine field goals and two free throws.
Individually in the win, Carter would lead six Eagles in double-digits with a career-high 22 points and tied a career-best nine rebounds. He was 10-of-12 for the game and two-of-two from the line, while also blocking two shots and making a steal.
Taylor followed Carter in the scoring and rebounding column with 21 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore forward Jacob Norman (Evansville, Indiana) reached double-figures for the third game in a row with 12 points, while Rajala and senior guard Bobo Drummond (Peoria, Illinois) had 11 points each. Senior guard Cortez Macklin (Louisville, Kentucky) rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points.
USI completes the 2016 calendar year and the Bellarmine Classic Saturday when it plays Kentucky State University Saturday at 4 p.m. (CST). KSU is 2-6 this season and plays sixth-ranked Bellarmine in Friday’s second game. The Eagles hold a 19-3 all-time series lead over the Thorobreds after defeating them, 111-101, last year the PAC.
The season restarts for the Eagles on January 2 when they return to the friendly surroundings of the PAC to host Bluefield State University. USI also restarts the Great Lakes Valley Conference schedule next month when it hosts William Jewell College January 5 and Rockhurst University January 7.
