Eagles soar behind Lakes’ career game

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball graduate forward Trevor Lakes (Lebanon, Indiana) scored a career-best 29 points to lead the Screaming Eagles to a 78-47 win over Anderson University Wednesday at Screaming Eagles Arena. The Eagles are 4-5 after tonight’s action, while the Ravens are 3-5.
 
Lakes posted a collegiate and season-high 29 points with 15 points in the opening half and 14 in the final 20 minutes. He was 11-of-19 from the field, including four three-pointers, and three-of-four from the stripe.
 
He was followed by senior guard Jelani Simmons (Columbus, Ohio), who reached 20-or-more points for the fourth time this season by dropping in 23. Simmons was a blistering eight-of-11 from the field, six-of-seven from downtown, and one-of-one from the line.
 
From the opening tip, the Eagles took command of the game and jumped out to an early 15-4 lead on a 13-2 run. Simmons drove the surge with nine of his 15 first half points.  
 
The Ravens tried to fly back into the game with a 12-5 run of their own to cut the margin to 20-16 with 11:23 left in the half. USI responded with a 28-11 surge in the final 10 minutes of the half to take a 48-27 lead into the locker room at the intermission. Lakes propelled the offensive wave with 13 of his 15 opening half tallies.
 
USI was a blistering 64 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes (16-25), including 75 percent from beyond the arc (9-12). The Eagles also helped their cause by forcing 11 Anderson turnovers.
 
In the second half, the Ravens tried to muscle their way back into the game with a 13-4 run to start the final 20 minutes and shrink the Eagles’ margin to 12 points, 52-40, with 14:54 remaining. USI responded with a 26-7 run to seal the victory and run away with a 78-47 victory.
 
Lakes led the final push for the Eagles adding another 12 points during the final 12:27 of the game.
 
As a team, USI dominated the glass, 41-26, and forced 20 Anderson turnovers in the contest. The Eagles also shot 50 percent as a team from the field (28-56) and had 22 assists in the contest.
 
Next Up 2022-23:
USI continues a three-game homestand at Screaming Eagles Arena Sunday when it hosts Indiana State University for a 3 p.m. contest. The homestand concludes a match-up with St. Mary’s of the Woods College December 15 at 7 p.m.
 
Indiana State is 9-1 overall in 2022-23 after posting a 74-71 victory at Southern Illinois University tonight in Missouri Valley Conference action. The Sycamores were led in the win by graduate guard Courvoisier McCauley, who had 16 points, and senior guard Cameron Henry, who had 15 points and 12 rebounds.
 
McCauley leads the Sycamores with 17.3 points per game this season, while Henry is posting 11.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
 
Saturday’s matchup will be the first meeting between USI and Indiana State in the history of the men’s basketball programs.