University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball rallied from a pair of 13-point second half deficits to defeat Ashland University, 74-62, Sunday afternoon in the final day of the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge hosted by the University of Indianapolis. USI completes the first weekend of 2016-17 action with a 2-0 mark, while Ashland starts the year 1-1.
In the first half, Ashland built a nine-point halftime margin with a five-point run midway through the half and a six-point run before halftime to lead 36-27. USI, which shot 36 percent in the opening half (9-25), was led by junior forward Julius Rajala (Finland) with nine points in the half. Senior guard Jeril Taylor (Louisville, Kentucky) and sophomore guard Alex Stein (Evansville, Indiana) followed Rajala in the scoring column with eight points each.
In the second half, Ashland continued to build upon its halftime advantage, expanding the lead to as many as 13 points twice, 42-29 and 44-31, when USI’s offense kicked into high gear. The Eagles went on a 26-5 run to take the lead, 57-49, with 5:45 left and never look back.
After Ashland cut the USI advantage to four points, 59-55, the Eagles connected on eight-of-eight free throws by Taylor and Stein to nail down the 12-point win, 74-62.
USI was led in the second half by the 26-point explosion of Stein. The sophomore guard, who finished the game with a career-best and game-high 36 points, was 9-of-15 from the field and 10-10 from the line during the second half. He also had 17 of the 26 points when the Eagles’ erased the 13-point deficits.
The Eagles, as a team, shot 60 percent (15-25) and 94.4 percent from the line (17-18) during the final 20 minutes, while holding Ashland to 30.8 percent from the field (8-26).
Following Stein in the scoring column for USI is Taylor and Rajala with 18 and 13 points, respectively. Taylor also had a team-high eight rebounds.
USI comes home to Evansville next weekend when it takes part in the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic Friday and Saturday. The Eagles are slated to play Florida Southern College and Kentucky Wesleyan College at 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, respectively.
The Hall of Fame Classic also features second-ranked Lincoln Memorial University, third-ranked Bellarmine University, and fifth-ranked University of Alabama-Huntsville. Additional classic game times are 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. each day.
