EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball enters the final week of the 2022-23 regular season looking to improve its seeding in the upcoming Ohio Valley Conference Tournament when it hosts Tennessee Tech University Thursday and visits Tennessee State University Saturday. Game time Thursday at Screaming Eagles Arena is set for 7:30 p.m., while tipoff Saturday in Nashville is 3:30 p.m.
The Screaming Eagles (15-14 8-8 OVC) begins the week tied for sixth in the OVC, but could rise as high as fourth with a good week. The OVC Tournament, which is set for March 1-4 at the Ford Center in Evansville, features the top eight teams in the league, giving the top two seeds buys to the semifinals and the third, fourth seeds buys to the quarterfinals.
USI split its two games last week, winning a hard-fought game at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 82-81, and falling in a tough game at Southeast Missouri State University, 85-80.
Sophomore guard Isaiah Swope (Newburgh, Indiana) led the way for the Eagles last week by averaging 24 points per game, including a 27-point performance versus SEMO on Saturday. Senior forward Jacob Polakovich (Grand Rapids, Michigan) followed, posting 18.0 points and 11.5 rebounds per game.
Polakovich also shot 77.8 percent (14-18) from the field during the games with Little Rock and SEMO.
Swope and senior guard Jelani Simmons (Columbus, Ohio) lead the Eagles with 14.9 points and 13.9 points, respectively. Polakovich is averaging 12.9 points per outing along with grabbing a team-best and OVC-best 12.6 rebounds per game.
The Golden Eagles of Tech (13-16, 9-7 OVC) are 3-2 in the last five games after splitting last week. TTU won a 77-68 decision over Lindenwood University, but fell to the University of Tennessee at Martin, 100-91 at home.
TTU took the first-ever meeting with USI, 84-69. USI was led by Swope with 15 points, while Polakovich had a double-double with 14 points, 14 rebounds.
The TSU Tigers (17-12, 9-7 OVC), who have won six of their last seven, split last week with a 74-64 loss at Morehead State University and a 100-85 home victory over Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
USI lost the first meeting since 1977, 80-76, at Screaming Eagles Arena in OVC action. Swope led the Eagles with 24 points in the loss.
All 2022-23 games are normally streamed on ESPN+ in addition to being heard on ESPN 97.7FM and 95.7FM The Spin.
