Following the homestand, USI hits the road Monday when it crosses the river to play fourth-ranked Kentucky Wesleyan College at 7:30 p.m. in the Owensboro Sportscenter. Monday’s match-up will be the last GLVC game in the Sportscenter for USI.
The Screaming Eagles (10-2, 3-1 GLVC) fell 15th in the NABC/NCAA Division II Top 25 poll after splitting a road trip last weekend. USI lost a lead and fell short at the University of Illinois Springfield, 73-71, last Thursday, but rebounded against Quincy University to post a 78-70 victory over the weekend.
USI senior center Keith DeWitt (High Point, North Carolina) helped get the Eagles back on track at Quincy when recorded a huge double-double of 18 points and 18 rebounds. DeWitt, who led the team in the last two games with 13.5 rebounds per contest, was tied for first during the trip in scoring with junior forward Orlando Rutledge (Louisville, Kentucky) with 14.0 points each.
Rutledge was USI’s top scorer in the loss to UI Springfield, scoring 15 of his team-high 17 points in the second half.
In addition to DeWitt and Rutledge, USI junior forward Aaron Nelson (Chicago Heights, Illinois) also scored in double-digits with 12.0 per contest. Nelson helped USI during a scoring drought at Quincy by hitting nine of 10 from the line and finished the trip hitting 10-of-11.
For the season, Rutledge leads the Eagles with 16.1 points per outing. He is followed by DeWitt and Nelson in the scoring column with 13.1 and 12.1 points per appearance, respectively. Junior forward Taylor Wischmeier (Brownstown, Indiana) rounds out the USI double-digit scorers at 11.5 points per outing.
The Pumas of Saint Joseph’s (4-7, 2-2 GLVC) have been a .500 team since the start of 2013. Saint Joseph’s opened GLVC action with a win at Rockhurst University and a loss at William Jewell College, duplicating the results a week later at home with a win over Missouri University of Science & Technology and a loss to Drury University.
USI has a comfortable lead in the all-time series, 47-20, and has won 19 of the last 23 meetings since 2000. The Eagles, who also have collected victories in 10 of the last 11 at the PAC, swept the season series last year, winning 85-62 at the PAC and 67-59 in Rensselaer, Indiana.
The Greyhounds of UIndy (12-0, 4-0 GLVC) have been on fire to start the season and is still one of three unbeaten teams in GLVC play. UIndy faces a tough challenge on Thursday when it faces off with unbeaten KWC (12-0, 4-0 GLVC) before coming to the PAC.
The Eagles have a hold on the all-time series, 49-18, but the Greyhounds won the 2011-12 season series, 2-1. USI’s only victory over UIndy last year came in the GLVC Tournament when it defeated the Greyhounds, 78-60.
USI starts a three-game road trip Monday as it travels to play the Panthers of KWC (12-0, 4-0 GLVC). KWC has the advantage in the all-time series, 49-36, and won two of the three games with the Eagles last year. The Panthers ended the Eagles’ 2011-12 season last March in the NCAA Division II Tournament, 64-58, and defeated USI in Owensboro, 69-54. USI won its game at the PAC, 72-57.
Coverage of the Eagles’ GLVC games, including live stats and audio/video broadcasts, is available at gousieagles.com. The USI action also can be heard on ESPN 106.7FM and WPSR 90.7FM.
NABC/Division II Top 25
1. West Liberty
2. Metropolitan State
3. Alabama-Huntsville
4. Bellarmine (GLVC)
5. Western Washington
6. Kentucky Wesleyan (GLVC)
7. Indianapolis (GLVC)
8. Seattle Pacific
9. Cal Poly Pomona
10. Southern Indiana (GLVC)
11. Minnesota State
12. Lincoln Memorial
13. Washburn
14. Franklin Pierce
15. Cal State-San Bernardino
16. Florida Southern
17. Winston-Salem State
18. Adams State
19. Newman
20. Tampa
21. Indiana
22. King
23. Barton
24. Northwest Missouri State
25. Fort Lewis
Others receiving votes: Grand Canyon (Ariz.), St. Mary’s (Texas), Michigan Tech, Minnesota State-Moorhead, Augusta State (Ga.), Dominican (N.Y.), West Texas A&M, Assumption (Mass.), Rollins (Fla.), Findlay (Ohio), North Georgia, Wayne State (Mich.), St. Cloud State (Minn.), Saint Leo (Fla.), Drury (Mo.) (GLVC), Harding (Ark.), East Stroudsburg (Pa.), Shepherd (W.Va.), North Alabama, Saint Anselm (N.H.), Winona State (Minn.), Augustana (S.D.).
Source: GoUSIEagles.com
