24th-ranked University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball saw its second half rally come up short in falling to 15th-ranked University of Indianapolis, 88-76, Thursday evening in Louisville, Kentucky. USI goes to 21-7 overall and 13-7 in the GLVC, while UIndy finishes the regular season 23-5, 15-5 GLVC.
Despite the loss, USI starts post-season play this week in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s First Community Arena in Edwardsville, Illinois, March 5-9. The GLVC Tournament seedings and game times will announced later this evening on GLVCSports.com.
The Eagles did not have a sharp start to the game as the Greyhounds ran out to a 52-35 lead by the intermission. UIndy had control of the glass, 21-14, and held USI to 45.7 percent from the field (16-35).
The UIndy defense also was able to slow all of the Eagles except for junior forward Emmanuel Little during the opening 20 minutes. Little had 16 points on eight-of-12 from the field to start the contest.
In the second half, UIndy extended its lead to as many as 23 points with 9:11 to play when USI surged back into contention. USI junior guard/forward Clayton Hughes sparked a 12-0 run with a bucket to pull the Eagles back to with nine points, 73-62, 5:25 remaining on the clock. Hughes and senior guard Darnell Butler led way during the run with five points each as the Eagles were three-of-four from the field, two-of-two from the beyond the arc, and four-of-four from the line.
The Greyhounds regained command, re-extending the lead to double-digits and closed out their 88-76 victory of the Eagle.
Individually for USI, Little added 15 second half points and closed out the game with a career-high 31 points. The junior forward was 12-of-18 from the field, one-of-two from outside the arc, and six-of-six from the line.
Butler and Hughes followed Little in the scoring column to close out the double-figure scorers with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
