Eagles fly north for GLVC play

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The 12th-ranked University of Southern Indiana men’s basketball team begins a two-game road swing Thursday when it visits Saint Joseph’s College (9-10, 3-6 GLVC) for a 7:30 p.m. contest in Rensselaer, Indiana. USI (18-1, 8-1 GLVC) ends the road trip Saturday at 2:15 p.m. (CST) with a visit to the University of Indianapolis (10-7, 7-2 GLVC).

Game coverage for this week’s games, including live stats, video streams, and audio broadcasts, is available at GoUSIEagles.com. The games also can be heard on WEOA 98.5FM/1400AM and 95.7FM The Spin.

The Screaming Eagles start the week tied for first in the GLVC East Division with 10th-ranked Bellarmine University with 8-1 conference marks. USI and Bellarmine are a game ahead of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and UIndy, each with 7-2 league records.

Following the Eagles’ road trip, USI returns to the friendly surroundings of the Physical Activities Center February 2 when it begins Homecoming Week by hosting Missouri University of Science & Technology for a 7:30 p.m. tip. The Eagles finish the weekend with their Homecoming game February 4 at 3:15 p.m. when they host Drury University.

USI Men’s Basketball vs. Week 13 Quick Notes:

  • USI moved up in national rankings.The University of Southern Indiana fell in the NCAA Division rankings for the first time in a month, dropping to 12th in the NABC Division II Top 25 and eighth in the D2SIDA Media Top 25. USI also is ranked 10th in the NCAA Division II and seventh in the HeroSports.com power rankings.
  • USI last week.USI went 2-1 last week, losing to 15th-ranked Bellarmine University, but defeating 22nd-ranked University of Wisconsin-Parkside and Lewis University. USI was led for the week by senior guard Jeril Taylor with 19.7 points per game, and sophomore guard Alex Stein with 17.7 points per game.
  • A tie for first in the East.USI and 10th-ranked Bellarmine University are tied for first in the GLVC East Division (Bellarmine currently has the tie-breaker) with 8-1 conference marks.
  • Tale of two seasons.Last year during the latest five-game stretch, the Eagles were 1-4 and in the midst of a four-game losing streak. USI reversed that stretch this year by winning four of five versus Truman State University, Quincy University, Bellarmine University, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, and Lewis University.
  • Lighting up the scoreboard.USI is lighting up the scoreboard this year, averaging a GLVC-best 93.4 points per game. The highest scoring average by an Eagles’ team was 1993-94 when the squad averaged 101.7 points per game and reached 100-or-more points 18 times. The last time a USI squad averaged 90-or-more points a game was in 2001-02 (90.3 points per game).
  • USI season leaders.Senior guard Jeril Taylor leads USI with 20.8 points per game, 21.6 in GLVC games, while sophomore guard Alex Stein is posting 17.7 points per contest, 16.7 in the league. Junior forward Julius Rajala rounds out the double-digit scorers with 11.9 points per outing.
  • Holding the boards.The Eagles are holding the line on the glass, outrebounding opponents 14 of the last 15 games.
  • Crashing the boards.Senior guards Jeril Taylor and Cortez Macklin lead the Eagles in rebounding with 8.0 and 5.2 rebounds per contest, respectively. Macklin, who is averaging three rebounds per contest more than last year, averaged 6.0 rebounds per contest last week.
  • USI vs. Saint Joseph’s.USI leads the all-time series, 54-20, and has a 18-10 advantage in Rensselaer, Indiana. The Eagles won last year’s meeting, 98-81, and have taken the last 12 match-ups with the Pumas. Senior guard Bobo Drummond led the Eagles in the 98-81win with his third-straight 22 point game.
  • USI vs. UIndy.USI leads the all-time series, 54-21, and has a 16-13 advantage at the University of Indianapolis. The Greyhounds, who have won three of the last four match-ups with USI, defeated the Eagles last season at the PAC, 82-78, with sophomore guard Alex Stein leading USI with 18 points.

NABC Top 25 Poll 

  1. Northwest Missouri State (12)
    2. Fairmont State, W.Va. (4)
    3. West Liberty, W.Va.
    4. California Baptist
    5. Shippensburg, Pa.
    6. Indiana, Pa.
    7. Hawai’i Pacific
    8. Queens, N.C.
    9. Wheeling Jesuit, W.Va.
    10. Bellarmine, Ky.
    11. Kutztown, Pa.
    12. Southern Indiana
    13. Barry, Fla.
    14. Tarleton State, Texas
    15. Western Washington
    16. Fort Lewis, Colo.
    17. Kentucky Wesleyan
    18. Arkansas-Monticello
    19. Alabama-Huntsville
    20. West Texas A&M
    21. MSU Moorhead, Minn.
    22. Colorado School of Mines
    23. Chico State, Calif.
    24. Lincoln Memorial, Tenn.
    25. Wisconsin-Parkside

    D2SIDA Top 25 Poll 
    1. Northwest Missouri (14)
    2. Fairmont State
    3. California Baptist
    4. Shippensburg
    5. Queens
    6. Bellarmine
    7. West Liberty
      8. Southern Indiana
    9. Tarleton State
    10. Barry
    11. Western Washington
    12. Arkansas -Monticello
    13. Lincoln Memorial
    14. Wheeling Jesuit
    15. UT-Permian Basin
    16. MSU-Moorhead
    17. Ferris State
    18. West Texas A&M
    19. Hawai’i Pacific
    20. Ch. ico State
    21. Valdosta State
    22. St. Thomas Aquinas
    23. Indiana (PA)
    24. Augusta (Ga.)
    25. Wisconsin-Parkside

 

 

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