12th-ranked University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball won a rollercoaster of a game, 86-82, over 25th-ranked Drury University to restart 2019-20 GLVC action at the Screaming Eagles Arena. USI goes to 9-1 overall and 1-1 in the GLVC, while Drury is 8-2, 1-1 GLVC.
USI and senior guard Joe Laravie lit up the scoreboard in the first 14 minutes of the first half as the Eagles built a 19-point advantage, 41-22, with 6:18 left until halftime. Laravie started game by going three-of-three from downtown, while the Eagles shot 53.6 percent (15-28) during the run.
The Panthers bounced back in the final six minutes of the opening half, scoring 10 unanswered points and holding USI to one-of-nine from the outside. USI held Drury scoreless for the final three minutes and took a 43-31 lead into the intermission.
After Drury managed to cut the USI lead to three, 43-40 in the opening minute of the second half, the Eagles’ offense re-ignited with a 14-2 run to push the lead back to 15 points, 57-42, shooting 75 percent (six-of-eight) from the field in the surge.
The Panthers, however, were not done and whittled down the Eagles’ advantage until they had tied USI, 69-69 with 7:29 on the clock and 71-71 with 6:35 remaining. USI responded by regaining the lead 72-71 on a free throw by junior forward Josh Price with 6:06 left and never looked back.
USI would outscore Drury, 15-11, in the remaining six minutes, connecting on three-of-three from the field and nine-of-10 from the stripe to secure the 86-82 victory. Price was key to the final six minutes, scoring nine of the 15 points.
For the game, Price finished with a game-high 24 points and 10 rebounds. The junior forward was a blistering seven-of-10 from the field and 10-of-13 from the stripe, while grabbing nine of his 10 rebounds on the defensive glass.
Junior guard Mateo Rivera, who made his first start of the season in the win, followed with 15 points and a game-high six assists. He also had the hot hand, hitting five-of-seven from the field, three-of-four from beyond the arc, and two-of-three from the line.
Laravie added two second-half points and finished with 14, while junior forward Emmanuel Little capped off the double-digit scorers with 10 points.
As a team, USI shot 48.2 percent from the field (27-56), 50 percent from long range, and 86.2 percent from the charity stripe. The Eagles also won the battle of the glass, 33-31.
USI concludes its five-game homestand Saturday when it hosts Southwest Baptist University for the first time in men’s basketball program history and GLVC action. Tip-off is set for 3:15 p.m.
The Bearcats saw their record go to 8-2 overall and 1-1 in the GLVC after posting a 76-68 victory at McKendree University this evening.
