Eagles win big, snap streak

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball snapped a three-game losing streak with a big 79-47 victory over the University of St. Francis (Illinois) Tuesday evening at Screaming Eagles Arena. The Screaming Eagles rise to 3-9 after tonight’s action, while the Fighting Saints are 2-5 in 2023-24.

Following an extremely slow start by both teams, USI exploded on an 18-6 run midway through the opening half to take control, 23-11. Sophomore guard Ryan Hall (Kettering, Ohio) led the charge with a pair of three-point field goals, while sophomore guard/forward AJ Smith (Edwardsville, Illinois) and senior forward/center Nolan Causwell (Duluth, Georgia) added five points and four points, respectively, during the run.
 
The Saint climbed back into the contest with a 11-4 spurt to close the gap to 27-22 with 2:53 on the first half clock before the Eagles could take back control. USI scored seven of the final 11 points of the half to lead 34-26 at the break.
 
Sophomore guard Jack Campion (Milton, Wisconsin) and Smith led the USI offensive attack during the first half with seven points each.
 
After the start of the second half, it was all USI as the Eagles went on a 13-0 run to lead 47-27 and held the Saints scoreless for the first 7:21 of the final half. Junior forward Jack Mielke (Downers Grove, Illinois) led the Eagles in the run with six of the 13 points.
 
USI continued to expand its lead to as many as 32 points in cruising to the 79-47 victory. The Eagles’ defense held the Saints to 28.6 percent from the field in the second half (8-28) and 35.8 percent from outside (19-53) for the game. Offensively, USI shot 59.3 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes (16-27), 63.6 percent from beyond the arc (7-11).
 
Individually, Mielke had 15 second half points and led USI in scoring with a career-high 18 points. The junior forward was a blistering six-of-eight from beyond the arc to lead the way.
 
Smith followed Mielke with 16 points and a game-high nine rebounds. The sophomore guard/forward was four-of-eight from the field, including a pair of three-point field goals, and six-of-seven from the stripe.
 
Hall rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Eagles with a season-high 13 points, adding seven in the second half. He had the hot hand tonight, hitting five-of-seven from the field, including three-of-four from outside the arc.
 
Next Up For USI:
The Eagles conclude the non-conference portion of the 2023-24 schedule December 22 when they visit Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Tipoff has been changed to 6 p.m. 

The Salukis are 7-4 overall after snapping their two-game skid with a 76-63 win over North Dakota State University this evening in Carbondale.
 
The Eagles posted their first victory over the Salukis and in NCAA Division I play with a 71-53 win at Screaming Eagles Arena last season. Guard Jelani Simmons led the Eagles with 18 points. SIU leads the all-time series with USI, 3-1, dating back to 1981.