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HOT JOBS
EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT
FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
USI falls in final minute at Lindenwood Screaming Eagles miss a last-second shot to tie
ST. CHARLES, Mo. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball rallied but fell short, 83-80, to Lindenwood University Saturday afternoon at Hyland Arena in St. Charles, Missouri. The Screaming Eagles go to 3-11 overall and 0-4 in the OVC, while the Lions are 10-5, 4-0 OVC.
The first 20 minutes were a rollercoaster ride for the Screaming Eagles, who had to rally from an 11-point deficit, 32-21, with 8:05 in the first half to take a 45-43 lead into the intermission. USI senior guard/forward Steven Clay ignited the 24-9 run with a three-pointer as the Screaming Eagles posted their largest of the half, 45-41, with 32 seconds before the break.
USI shot 69.2 percent during the offensive surge (9-13), including a pair of three-pointers. Senior guard Ismail Habib led the explosion with seven points, while junior forward Tolu Samuels and senior guard Cardell Bailey added five points each.
The USI defense also contributed during the run, holding the Lions to three-of-11 from the field and making three steals.
Lindenwood started the second half with a 10-3 run to take a 51-48 lead before the first media timeout. USI missed on a chance to regain the lead down one, 53-52, before Lindenwood re-extended its margin to 57-52 with 13:41 to play. The Lions would push the USI deficit back to nine points, 73-64.
USI would close the gap to three points with 1:03 left on the clock, 82-79, after back-to-back buckets by junior guard Sheridan Sharp and Samuels. After forcing a shot clock violation by Lindenwood, USI was stopped by the Lions’ defense with 14.9 seconds left. Lindenwood would finish out the game at the free throw line before Sharp missed a late heave from long range for the 83-80 final.
In the box score, USI was led by Sharp and Bailey with 18 points each. Sharp, who posted a season-high, was a blistering seven-of-10 from the field and four-of-five from the stripe. Bailey was eight-of-16 from the field, including a pair of three-pointers.
Samuels followed with 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds before fouling out of the game. The junior forward has reached double-digits in the last two games and averaged 14.5 points for the road trip.
Habib rounded out the double-digit scorers with 13 points. He has reached double-digits in scoring in 12 of USI’s 14 games this season.
Next Up For USI:
USI returns home to Liberty Arena next week to host Southeast Missouri State Thursday and UT Martin Saturday. Both games are set to tip at 7:30 p.m.
Aces Dominate Valpo for First MVC Win
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville women’s basketball team picked up their first MVC win of the season in dominant fashion on Saturday afternoon, dispatching Valparaiso 66-46 inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse. The win was the Aces’ largest in MVC play since March 2, 2017.
It was a balanced offensive effort for Evansville, with 10 Aces finding the scoring column and six Aces scoring six or more points. Camryn Runner (Cicero, Ind./Hamilton Heights) led the way with 12 and snagged a career-high 13 rebounds to record her second career double-double. Mireia Mustaros (Barcelona, Spain/Ins Argentona) had her highest-scoring performance as an Ace, scoring 11 points to go with six rebounds. Elle Snyder (Latrobe, Penn./Greater Latrobe) enjoyed a strong afternoon with nine points on 3-for-6 shooting from three-point range while adding eight rebounds and four assists.
Mustaros came out of the gates hot, scoring the Aces’ first five points of the game, while a three-pointer by Sydney Huber (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Mount Vernon) and a layup by Logan Luebbers Palmer (Union, Ky./Randall K. Cooper) gave the Aces a 10-3 lead and forced an early timeout by the Beacons. Valpo battled back to make it 14-12 at the 2:51 mark in the opening quarter, but another run, highlighted by a three by Snyder and four points from Runner, gave the Aces a 21-12 lead heading into the second quarter.
Evansville’s run continued to begin the second period, with a three from Jelena Savic (Melbourne, Australia/Kurunjang Secondary College) and buckets by Georgia Ferguson (Waterloo, Ontario/Cairine Wilson Secondary School) and Huber ballooned the lead to 16. The Aces continued to control things for the remainder of the half, heading into break with a 37-24 advantage.
Strong defense marked the third quarter for the Aces as they held the Beacons to seven points, matching a season-best, and kept Valpo off the scoreboard for the final 3:51 of the period.
Evansville opened up their largest lead of the day with 4:48 to go in the fourth quarter, as another three from Snyder made it 61-35. The Aces cruised from there, taking home a decisive 66-46 victory.
Valpo’s 46 points was the lowest mark allowed by the Aces this season, while the Beacons’ 27.1% shooting percentage was the lowest allowed by the Evansville defense this year.
Evansville is off until Thursday, when they hit the road next to take on Southern Illinois in Carbondale. Tip-off is set for 6 PM.
KARPINSKI, THUNDERBOLTS SHUT OUT QUAD CITY 4-0
Evansville, In.: The Thunderbolts got the bounce back performance they were searching for after Friday’s loss, a 4-0 shutout victory over the Quad City Storm on Saturday night at Ford Center. The Thunderbolts’ next home game at Ford Center will be on Wednesday, January 14th against the Birmingham Bulls at 7:00pm CT.
The first period was relatively uneventful, as Myles Abbate nearly scored on the rush midway through the period, but hit the post. The offense roared to life in the second period as Joey Berkopec scored on the rush from Scott Kirton and Connor Tait only 31 seconds in to give Evansville a 1-0 lead. At 7:11, excellent forecheck pressure led to Tyson Gilmour finding Kirton at the net front to make it 2-0, also assisted by Berkopec. After holding at 2-0 for a long stretch going midway into the third period, Abbate scored on nearly the same play that hit the post earlier, shooting off a beautiful 2-on-1 setup from Isaac Chapman to make it 3-0, with Evan Miller getting the secondary assist by starting the rush out of the Evansville zone. With only 3:10 remaining, Evansville capitalized on a power play to make it 4-0 as Jordan Simoneau scored on a net-front redirection from Abbate and Kirton.
Kirton led the way offensively with a goal and 2 assists, Abbate and Berkopec registered a goal and assist each, and Simoneau scored one goal. In goal, Cody Karpinski stopped all 25 shots on goal for his 1st win of the season and his first as a Thunderbolt, also recording his 4th professional shutout and becoming the first Thunderbolts goaltender to pick up a shutout victory in the regular season since Cole Ceci on January 5th, 2024, against Quad City. The Thunderbolts and Storm meet again on Sunday, January 4th at Vibrant Arena, with Evansville leading the regular season series 5-4.
In Word 120, Be Saved!
Be Saved! by jerome Stewart
There are many Scriptures within the word of God able to help us better understand the weaknesses of mankind and how to overcome them. The words of Jeremiah a prophet of God still hold true today. Jeremiah chapter 10 vs. 23 he says; “O LORD I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct His own steps.”
The beauty of God’s word is in knowing He took care of the penalty for the sinner. He sent us Jesus! For anyone involved in ministry, the focal point of the mission should always be of the utmost importance. Because at the end of the day, its’ about saving souls. Everything else is secondary. That is the essence of evangelism.
As related to the Great Commission, Jesus made it crystal clear to His apostles as to what they were to do. Matthew 28 vss. 18 thru 20 Jesus says; “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
In Acts chapter 2 vs. 40 the apostle Peter said to the multitude; “Be saved from this perverse generation.” If the apostle Peter was here today would his words be any different? If Jesus was here as God in the flesh today, would His words be any different? Look at the world today. Mankind has always faced obstacles when it comes to doing the right things in life. We should be ever thankful to God for sending His only begotten Son into the world, to be the sacrificial Lamb for the sins of all mankind.
However; a thankless people will not take advantage of the greatest gift given to mankind by God. As the gospel was being spread the apostles were not always well received, because the message of repentance requires there to be a change in one’s behavior. In the Greek it is referred to as metanoia which means “a change of heart.”
The apostle Paul and Silas who was with him were incarcerated for spreading the gospel. In Acts chapter 16 a most important question was asked by the Philippian jailer, related to being saved. The response given by Paul had an impact on the jailer as well as the rest of his household. Vs. 31 Paul says; “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” It did not end there!
Vss. 32 and 33 says; “Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in the house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.” As a result, they became recipients of the salvation of Jesus Christ!
Hoosier History Highlights
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Indiana Fever introduce their first-ever specialty license plate
Portion of sales to benefit girls’ and women’s
empowerment initiatives through the Fever Fund
INDIANAPOLIS (Jan. 2, 2026) – Indiana Fever fans can now show their pride on the road while supporting women and girls across the state with the debut of the first-ever Indiana Fever specialty license plate.
The new plate, now available through the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, will benefit the Fever Fund, an initiative of the Pacers Foundation. The fund champions programs that help women and girls rise on the court, in the classroom and in their communities.
“We’re thrilled to bring Fever fans another meaningful and fun way to represent their passion for this team,” said Indiana Fever Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Amber Cox. “Every plate purchased fuels opportunities for women and girls across Indiana through the Fever Fund, ensuring that our impact grows far beyond the court.”
The plate features black lettering on a white background with the team’s “F” logo on the left side and “Fever Fund” displayed across the bottom inside of a red banner. Standard plates will feature a “WB” prefix, representing “women’s basketball,” while motorcycle plates will include the “EW” prefix, symbolizing “Expect to Win.”
Fever specialty plates are available for $40 annually, with $25 from each plate going directly to the fund. Personalized plates are available for an additional annual fee.
Hoosiers can purchase the new Fever plate at myBMV.com, in person at any BMV branch, or at a BMV Connect kiosk if it is a standard plate renewal. If drivers want to upgrade their plate in advance of their renewal period, they can visit a branch and switch to a specialty plate in-person for an additional fee. For a complete list of branch locations and hours, or to find a 24-hour BMV Connect kiosk near you, visit IN.gov/BMV.
The Fever Fund invests in programs that empower girls and young women across Indiana through three key areas, including leadership and career readiness, confidence through sports and wellness, and safety and belonging. Learn more about this initiative and grant opportunities at FeverFund.org.
UE welcomes UNI on Sunday afternoon
Game time set for 2 p.m. at Ford Center
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – For the first time in 2026, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team will be inside the Ford Center as they face Northern Iowa on Sunday at 3 p.m. CST. ESPN+ and Purple Aces Radio Network will have the broadcast.
Last Time Out
– UE held an early 19-14 lead on Thursday at Illinois State before the Redbirds scored 12 in a row before pulling away for a 73-47 win
– Bryce Quinet was the lone double-digit scorer for the Purple Aces as he tallied 13
– UE shot 31.4% while committing a season-high 23 turnovers in the loss
Top of the Chart
– With four MVC games in the books, AJ Casey is the lone double-digit scorer for UE averaging 13.3 points per game
– After scoring 12 in the opening two league games, Casey registered a career-high 21 points at Bradley on 8-of-11 shooting
– Casey now has seven double digit games on the season and is averaging 9.3 PPG
– Casey picked up three steals in the first two MVC games and is tied for 9th in the league with his season average of 1.33/game
– He is UE’s second-leading rebounder with 5.5 per game including 11 versus Ball State
– Casey is 14th in the MVC with 5.53 boards/game and is 5th in offensive rbs (2.53/gm)
On a Streak
– Bryce Quinet has reached double figures in three out of his first four MVC games
– After recording 10 in the opener versus Belmont, he had 11 at Bradley before scoring a team-high 13 points at Illinois State
– Quinet is 9-for-18 from the field in the last two games and has connected on all four of his 3-point tries
– The performance against Belmont was his first double digit game since posting 10 vs. Akron on Nov. 22
Looking at the Series
– While the Panthers lead the all-time series against the Aces by a 36-29 margin, UE has won 22 out of 32 home games
– UE has won the last two home contests versus UNI and four of the last five meetings inside the Ford Center
– The last home game was a 91-89 overtime win for the Aces on Dec. 2, 2023