INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball couldn’t get the offense running early in the season opener and lost at Butler University, 88-58, Wednesday evening at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Screaming Eagles start the year 0-1, while Butler begins 2025-26, 1-0.
USI started slowly on both ends of the court as Butler exploded on a 17-0 run to start the game. The Eagles got the offense out of neutral and tried to claw their way back into the game with a 20-10 surge to pull to within seven, 27-20, with 6:48 left in the first half. USI senior guards Trey Thomas and Cardell Bailey led the surge for USI with seven points and six points, respectively.
The Bulldogs, however, regained their footing and outscored the Eagles, 15-6, in the final minutes of the opening half to take a 52-26 lead into the locker room.
The Eagles took the initiative to start the second half, using an 11-4 run, to cut the first half deficit to 56-37. Junior guard Kaden Brown led the run with six of the 11 points opening the final 20 minutes.
Butler stopped the USI surge for the final time by going on a 15-7 run to re-extend the margin to 27 points, 71-44. The Bulldogs would go on to lead by as many as 32 points before the horn sounded on the 88-58 final.
For USI individually, Brown led four Eagles in double-digits with 13 points. He was four-of-nine from the field, including three buckets from downtown, and two-of-four from the charity stripe.
Thomas and Bailey followed with 11 points each, while senior guard Ismail Habib rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.
Next Up For USI:
USI opens up the 2025-26 home schedule Friday when it hosts Virginia Military Institute for a 7:30 p.m. contest at Liberty Arena. The game will mark the first-ever meeting between USI and VMI in any sport.
The VMI Keydets started their season with a 122-58 win over Johnson & Wales University at home in Lexington, Virginia, Monday night.
The USI-VMI matchup is a part of a Screaming Eagles Men’s and Women’s Basketball doubleheader. USI Women’s Basketball tips off the doubleheader at 5 p.m.
USI falls in season opener at Butler
USI falls to Tennessee Tech in a four-set battle
EVANSVILLE, Ind.- University of Southern Indiana Volleyball lost to Tennessee Tech Wednesday night in a four-set Ohio Valley Conference battle.
The loss marks the end of USI’s undefeated home conference game streak, moving them to 8-4 in OVC games and 12-12 overall.
Set 1: USI 25, TTU 15
The Screaming Eagles took a dominant first set. Junior McKenzie Murphy led the offense with four kills, and freshman Carley Wright followed with three. As a team, USI made only two errors, hitting a .323 percent. Freshman Aysa Thomas dished out eight assists and led the back court with seven digs.
Set 2: TTU 25, USI 21
TTU maintained the lead for the entire set, as the Screaming Eagles struggled to put together an offensive response. Thomas marked her 17th consecutive double-double in the set, adding 12 assists and five more digs. Junior Ashby Willis led the team in kills, adding five in the set with just two errors.
Set 3: TTU 25, USI 22
USI held control of the lead for the first 10 points as TTU rallied to take it back with a six-point serving run. The Screaming Eagles struggled in service receive, TTU added three aces to double their count from the first two sets. As a team, USI tallied three blocks, led by Murphy, who added the only solo block.
Set 4: TTU 25, USI 23
As the set with the most lead changes with six, the two teams battled to take control of the game for the entire set. Three Eagles tallied three kills each, with juniors Willis and Leah Coleman, and senior Bianca Anderson trying to swing some momentum for the USI side.
For the game, Thomas finished with 34 assists and a team-high of 19 digs. Willis led the team with 10 kills, followed by three Eagles that tallied eight each, Wirght, Anderson, and Coleman. Murphy led the defensive effort at the net, adding five of the team’s nine blocks.
Aces Drop Regular Season Finale to Belmont, Enter MVC Tournament with Top Seed
NASHVILLE – In the final match of the regular season, the University of Evansville men’s soccer team suffered their first MVC loss of the campaign, falling to Belmont by a score of 2-1. Despite the loss, Evansville enters the MVC Tournament with the number one seed for the first time in program history and will host the winner of UIC and Belmont next Wednesday at Arad McCutchan Stadium.
Neither team was able to put a shot on goal in the opening stages of action, with the Aces tallying one shot and the Bruins putting up two.
In the 28th minute of action, star freshman Andres Escudero (San Sebastián de los Reyes, Spain/IES Joan Miro) created a scoring chance on his own, taking a thrown in near the midfield line and battling Belmont defenders to make a long run. Just outside the penalty area, Escudero took a left-footed shot that went past the Belmont keeper, off the crossbar and into the back of the net. The goal was Escudero’s ninth of the season, the most by a UE freshman since MVC Freshman of the Year Nacho Diaz Barragan scored nine in 2022, and gave the Aces a 1-0 lead.
Escudero nearly extended the lead in the 34th minute with another good scoring chance, but his shot was saved.
Belmont was able to find the equalizer before halftime, scoring in the 39th minute to make it a 1-1 game heading into halftime.
Escudero threatened to score once again in the 69th minute, hitting the post with a shot, but was left empty-handed. Less than a minute later, Belmont flipped the script, finding the back of the net to take their first lead of the night.
For the final 20 minutes, Evansville fought to find the equalizer, including Escudero nearly scoring once again with another shot off the post. However, the Aces were unable to find the tying goal as the Bruins earned a 2-1 win.
“I think we have put together a lot of games where we have managed moments well, and I think tonight when we went up 1-0, we didn’t do that quite as well,” said Head Coach Robbe Tarver. “I think we created a decent amount to try and equalize the game, we hit the post twice, but Belmont is a good team and they are really tough to beat at home.”
“At the end of the day, we are pretty healthy going into the tournament, we have the number one seed, we have a bye to prepare, and we get to host. There are a lot of positives that we have from the work we have put in throughout the season.”
“I think it is a good lesson for us to learn that every moment of a game matters, and if you switch off, you are going to get punished. We’ll flush it, we will be ready for next Wednesday and ready to go.”
With the loss, Evansville moves to 6-4-8 overall with a 3-1-3 mark in MVC play. The Purple Aces earned a share of the MVC regular season title and will serve as the number one seed in the conference tournament, earning a bye to the semifinal round. Kick-off for Wednesday’s tournament match at Arad McCutchan Stadium is set for 6 PM.
Vincennes University announces College of Health Sciences and Human Performance leadership changes
VINCENNES, Ind., November 5, 2025 – The Vincennes University College of Health Sciences and Human Performance Dean Michelle Cummins will transition from her administrative role and return to a faculty position at the end of the current semester.
“Dean Cummins has been an extraordinary leader whose vision and dedication have elevated the College of Health Sciences and Human Performance to new levels of excellence,” Interim Provost Jaci Lederman said. “Her commitment to innovation, collaboration, and student success has had a lasting impact on VU and the communities we serve. We are deeply grateful for her leadership and are thrilled that she will continue sharing her expertise and passion in the classroom as a valued member of our faculty.”
Her tenure in this role showcases remarkable growth, pioneering innovation, and a strong commitment to collaboration. Cummins has expanded academic programs, developed new internship and apprenticeship pathways, and strengthened strategic partnerships with regional healthcare leaders, including Good Samaritan and Twin Rivers. She played a key role in planning VU’s new $33.9 million Center for Health Sciences and Learning Innovation, slated to open in January 2026. Her legacy of leadership and mentorship has strengthened both academic quality and community impact.
Cummins will continue to support the HSHP College’s transition and mentor its next leaders. She will continue to have an impact within the University as a faculty member in the College of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics.
King appointed HSHP Interim Dean
Dr. Jason King, an Assistant Professor of Nursing, has been appointed to serve as the Interim Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Human Performance. His commitment to excellence in nursing education will be instrumental during this transitional period.
King said, “It is a privilege to follow in the footsteps of Dean Cummins, whose leadership has strengthened the College’s programs, partnerships, and community impact. As we move forward, I am excited to collaborate with our exceptional faculty, staff, and partners to build on that strong foundation and further elevate the College’s impact in healthcare education and workforce development.”
With more than 21 years of healthcare executive leadership experience and a strong record of service at both the state and national levels, King’s expertise will help drive VU’s mission of excellence in healthcare education. He previously served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer at IU Health Morgan Hospital. King joined VU in May 2025. He also currently serves as the vice president of the State Board of Nursing, having been recently reappointed by Gov. Mike Braun. King also represents nurses as a Director at Large for the Indiana State Nurses Association.
King earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice with a concentration in Executive Leadership from Indiana University. Before undertaking his doctoral work, he earned a master’s degree in Nursing Administration from Ball State University. His foundational nursing education includes a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Indiana Wesleyan University, an Associate of Science in Nursing from Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington, and a Practical Nursing certification from Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington. He also holds certifications in Executive Nursing Practice and Legal Nurse Consulting, as well as a Fellowship with the American Organization for Nursing Leadership.
His educational experience reflects a commitment to both clinical nursing and high-level administrative and executive leadership in the healthcare field.
1000 TACOS & COOKIES – FEED THE COMMUNITY EVENT Cookie Plug / Best Coast Tacos
YOUNG REPUBLICANS MEETING
Network, Learn, Get Involved, Take Action
Join us at the Foundry with other like minded college students to learn about your role in local government, your future within the political sphere, staying informed, and various other ways to shape the great state of Indiana. This meeting is open to students who currently attend or recently graduated UE, Ivy
Tech, and USI.
November 07, 2025
5:00 PM
100 N Main St, Evansville, IN
Sign Up: https://forms.gle/vzkWchm3NP78MZ1QA
EWSU Temporarily Suspends Water Shutoffs and Late Fees in Response to the loss of Federal Food Assistance
Gov. Braun invests in Main Street through local partnership in Spencer County
Braun’s economic development strategy improves access to health care and child care
This project will revitalize part of Richland’s Main Street, turning blighted property into multi-use commercial buildings, including a new family medical practice to improve health care access for the community.
“This is exactly the kind of project our READI 2.0 investments were built for: pairing private investment with state support to bring new life to Main Streets and create opportunity for Hoosiers. Congratulations to Richland for their leadership on this project that will improve health care access and child care access.” — Governor Mike Braun
State Rep. O’Brien: Small businesses impacted as shutdown drags on
STATEHOUSE – Small business loan disbursements remain halted due to the federal government shutdown, negatively impacting Indiana’s small and locally owned businesses, said State Rep. Tim O’Brien (R-Evansville).
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), over $13 million in SBA loan distributions meant for Indiana businesses have been delayed each week during the shutdown, around $58 million in total. O’Brien said that members of the U.S. Senate have failed to pass a funding bill that would allow the federal government to reopen and resume distributions.
“This shutdown hurts Hoosier small businesses who count on stability from their federal government,” O’Brien said. “The Senate must come to the table and pass a funding bill so our local economies and job markets can get back on track.”
SBA data suggests that approximately 26 SBA-backed loans in Indiana are unable to be approved each week during the shutdown. Additionally, an estimated 39,000 civilian federal workers in Indiana are affected through furloughs or unpaid while still working,potentially reducing their spending levels.
In a press release sent last week, O’Brien shared his concerns about uncertainty over Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits also being delayed, negatively impacting vulnerable families and children in Indiana.
O’Brien said he is continuing to monitor the situation, and if the shutdown continues for an extended period, small businesses could be impacted even further.
Rapist and murderer to remain behind bars thanks to Attorney General Todd Rokita’s appeals team
A murderer and a rapist will remain behind bars after Attorney General Todd Rokita’s legal team secured unanimous victories at the Indiana Court of Appeals, upholding lengthy sentences in two brutal violent crime cases.
“Our office works tirelessly to keep Hoosiers safe from the worst of the worst—from white-collar fraud to cold-blooded killers,” said Attorney General Todd Rokita. “This rapist and this murderer don’t deserve to walk free, and I’m proud that the appellate court agreed with our arguments to keep them locked up and out of our communities for good.”
Nashawn Stephens was sentenced to 75 years in prison for the 2022 murder of Tychius Derrickson in Mishawaka. Stephens and an accomplice lured Derrickson to an apartment under false pretenses, brutally beat him, dragged him outside, and shot him three times. Stephens claimed insufficient evidence—no eyewitness, no confession, no gun. The Court of Appeals rejected his appeal, finding overwhelming circumstantial evidence—including witness testimony, timing, physical evidence, and Stephens’s post-crime behavior—sufficient to support the jury’s guilty verdict.
In a separate case, Jorge Juarez Lopez was sentenced to 60 years for breaking into a 17-year-old victim’s home in 2023, holding a knife to her throat, raping her, and threatening to kill her and her sister if she reported the assault. Lopez was convicted of two counts of Level 1 felony rape, two counts of Level 5 felony intimidation, and Class A misdemeanor counterfeit government-issued identification. He argued on appeal that the trial court should have granted a mistrial after the victim had an emotional outburst in court. The Court of Appeals upheld the denial of the mistrial, affirming that the trial judge’s strong admonition to the jury cured any potential prejudice.
The Attorney General’s Appeals Division represented the State in both cases. Both rulings were unanimous and reinforce Indiana’s commitment to justice for victims of violent crime.