Rivera becomes 22nd Eagle to reach 1,000 points
ALLENDALE, Mich. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball held on to upset #22 NABC/#24 D2SIDA Grand Valley State University, 68-63, Monday evening in Allendale, Michigan. USI, which has won four-straight, goes to 6-2, while GVSU is 8-2 this season.
The victory was the Screaming Eagles’ first road win over a ranked opponent since they knocked off 19th-ranked University of Missouri-St. Louis February 15, 2020.
The Eagles had to rally in the first half to lead by as many as six points (35-29) and take a 35-31 lead into the intermission. USI, which spotted GVSU a 5-0 lead to start the contest, used a 13-8 surge to take its first lead of the game, 23-21, with 7:35 left in the half and had a 14-8 burst to reach the six-point lead with 39 seconds left before intermission, 35-29.
Junior guard Jelani Simmons (Columbus, Ohio) was dominating in the opening 20 minutes for the Eagles, dropping in 14 points on five-of-seven from the field, including four three-pointers.
The Lakers were fast out of the locker room to start the second half, knotting the game at 39-39 in the first three minutes after halftime. USI responded in quick fashion, using a 6-0 run to retake the lead (45-39) and would methodically extend the margin to nine points, 54-45, when junior forward Jacob Polakovich (Grand Rapids, Michigan) laid in a buck with 10:32 remaining.
The Eagles, however, went cold on the offensive end and would only get one bucket over the next six minutes as the Lakers chipped away at the USI margin and regained the lead briefly, 57-56, on a 12-2 run with 4:29 remaining.
Senior guard Mateo Rivera (Indianapolis, Indiana) and Polakovich would get the Eagles back on track offensively with two quick buckets to put USI back in the lead with 2:55 left, 60-57. Rivera took control of the USI offense in the final 1:30, scoring seven of the last eight points on a three-pointer, a bucket due to goaltending, and a pair of free throws as the Eagles held on for the 68-63 win.
Individually, Simmons added seven points in the second half and finished with a game-high 21 points. The 21-points, a season-high for Simmons, came on seven-of-13 from the field, five-of-10 from long range, and two-of-two from the line. The junior guard also tied a career-best with four assists.
Rivera followed Simmons in the scoring column with a season-high 18 points and became the 22nd USI player to reach 1,000 career points. He was seven-of-12 from the field, including two three-point bombs, and two-of-two from the stripe.
Polakovich rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 points and completed his third double-double of the season with a game-high 10 rebounds. The junior forward was a blistering five-of-six from the field and two-of-two from the stripe, while grabbing two offensive and eight defensive rebounds.
COMING UP FOR USI:
USI continues the five-game road trip and resumes the 2021-22 Great Lakes Valley Conference action after the first of the year when the Eagles visit McKendree University January 2 and Lewis University January 4. The final leg of the road trip is a visit to Lindenwood University January 6.
McKendree, 5-2 overall and 1-2 in conference play, finished the 2021 half of the season with a 5-2 record after a pair of games in the Quincy University’s Hansen-Spears Funeral Home Classic were cancelled due to COVID.
USI leads the all-time series with McKendree, 14-8 overall and 12-2 in GLVC action. The Eagles took last year’s only meeting, 81-70, at Screaming Eagles Arena and has won nine of the last 10 match-ups.
Lewis saw its record go to 4-5 overall after posting a 90-85 win over Ferris State University this evening in Romeoville, Illinois. The Flyers, 2-0 in GLVC action this season, finishes the 2021 calendar by hosting East/West University December 29 and restarts league play versus the University of Illinois Springfield January 2 in Romeoville.
The Eagles lead the all-time series with the Flyers, 50-27 overall and 40-27 in GLVC action. USI took last season’s regular contest on the road, 74-65, and the NCAA II Midwest Regional game at the Ford Center, 62-60.
The next USI game at Screaming Eagles Arena is January 8 when they host Southwest Baptist University.
