 University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball won its fourth-straight with a 79-76 victory over Truman State University Thursday evening at Screaming Eagles Arena. USI goes to 13-4 overall and 5-4 in the GLVC, while Truman State is 12-5, 7-2 GLVC.
The Eagles, who rise above .500 in the GLVC for the first time this season, sprang out to a 10-2 lead to start the game as junior forward Emmanuel Little and senior guard Joe Laravie combined for eight of the first 10 points. USI converted on four of its first five attempts from the field during the opening salvo.
They extended the lead to nine points, 16-7, when junior forward Josh Price laid in a bucket with 13:13 left in the opening stanza. Truman State rallied to get back into the contest with a 16-7 run of its own to tie the game with 6:47 left before halftime, 23-23.
USI quickly regained the lead, 25-23 on a pair of free throws by Little and outscored Truman State, 13-9, in the final fourth of the first half to post a 36-32 margin at the break. Little was nearly half of the USI offense in the first 20 minutes, scoring 17 first half points on seven-of-12 from the field and three-of-five from the stripe.
The Eagles began the second stanza much as they did the first, posting an 8-2 run to match a game-best nine-point lead, 44-35, with two minutes gone. Truman State, however, mounted another rally and knotted the game, 61-61, with 7:38 remaining.
Little gave USI back the lead for the final time with a free throw that ignited a quick 7-0 spurt to put the Eagles back into command at 5:57, 68-61. The Eagle seemed to have the game under control, but the Bulldogs kept creeping back, closing the gap to one, 72-71, when the one-minute warning was broadcast.
USI junior guard Mateo Rivera hit a jumper with 42 seconds left to extend the led to 74-71 and Little put the margin back to five with 30 ticks left, 76-71, on two more free throws. The Bulldogs attempted to rally once more by cutting the margin back to two, 78-76, with 13 left on the clock before Laravie connected a free throw and the Eagles’ defense could close the door on the 79-76 win.
Litte led five Eagles in double-digits and finished the game with 26 points. The junior forward, who also tied for the game-high with nine rebounds, was nine-of-18 from the field and eight-of-11 from the stripe.
Laravie and junior forward Josh Price followed Little with 12 points and 11 points, respectively, while Rivera and senior guard/forward Kobe Caldwell closed out the double-digit scorers with 10 points each.
USI concludes its three-game homestand Saturday at 3:15 p.m. when it hosts Quincy University for the seventh annual Hoops for Troops Military Appreciation game to honor members of the United States Armed Forces. Veterans, military personnel and their guests will receive up to five free tickets per veteran to the games with their military identification or proof of service at the front of the Screaming Eagles Arena ticket window. This event is sponsored by the American Legion Post 324 and the USI Student Veteran Association.
The Quincy Hawks are 10-7 overall and 4-5 in the GLVC after losing, 95-73, at McKendree University tonight. Quincy has lost its last two games, but won four of its last six after its visit McKendree.
USI leads the all-time series versus Quincy University, 32-10, after winning, 78-56, at the Physical Activities Center in 2018-19. The Eagles have had the advantage at home, 20-4, and in the GLVC, 30-8. Guard Alex Stein led USI in the 2018-19 victory with 19 points, while Little had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
