After starting the three-game road swing with an 80-76 victory over top-ranked Bellarmine University, the Screaming Eagles were named the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II Team of the Week. The NABC said in a release, “USI recorded, arguably, the biggest victory of the Division II season to date on Saturday, winning at then-unbeaten and No. 1-ranked Bellarmine 80-76. USI shot 52.2 percent in the victory, which snapped Bellarmine’s 67-game home winning streak and 45-game GLVC home winning streak.”
The NABC Team of the Week award is the first for USI and Head Coach Rodney Watson.
USI Men’s Basketball Week 14 Quick Notes:
USI snaps #1 Bellarmine streaks. The University of Southern Indiana shocked #1 Bellarmine University, 80-76, in its only game of the week, snapping three different streaks. The Screaming Eagles snapped their six-game losing streak to the Knights (four-games at Knights Hall) and Bellarmine’s 67-game and 45-GLVC game winning streaks. The victory also was the Eagles first victory over a number one ranked team since the Eagles defeated the top-ranked Knights in the GLVC Tournament in 2012. USI was led by junior guard/forward Kobe Caldwell and senior guard/forward Nate Hansenwith 18 points and 16 points, respectively.
Little notches eighth double-double of the year. Sophomore forward Emmanuel Little notched his eighth double-double of the year in the win over Bellarmine. He has posted three-straight double-doubles for the first time this season after recording 11 points and 10 rebounds in the win in Louisville last week. Little also ranks first in the GLVC and 25th nationally in double-doubles.
Winning the glass. USI leads the GLVC and ranks 19th nationally in rebound margin (+7.3, 38.2-30.9).
Eagles on the road in 2018-19. USI is officially 4-1 on the road in 2018-19. Senior guard Alex Stein and junior guard/forward Kobe Caldwell are averaging 18.6 points and 18.4 points per game, respectively, while senior guard/forward Nate Hansen and sophomore forward Emmanuel Little are posting 10.2 points per contest each.
Stein closing in on 100 double-digit games. Senior guard Alex Stein has 98 double-digit scoring games in his USI career and has scored in double-figures in the last 15 games, two games shy of a personal best of 17 last season.
USI vs. UIndy. USI leads the all-time series with UIndy, 56-22 overall and 52-21 in GLVC, since the start of the series in 1972-73. The Eagles, who lead the series at Nicoson Hall, 17-14, swept the two-game series last season, winning 73-67 in Indianapolis and 87-65 at the Physical Activities Center.
UIndy in 2018-19. UIndy raised its record to 15-5 overall and 8-2 in the GLVC after completing a road trip sweep with an 86-76 win at the University of Illinois Springfield Saturday.
USI vs. Lewis. USI has the series advantage versus Lewis, 46-25 overall and 38-25 in the GLVC, since the beginning of the match-ups in 1980-81. The Eagles and the Flyers split last season’s GLVC games with USI taking the game at the PAC, 84-75 in overtime, and Lewis taking the game in Neil Carey Arena, 73-52. The Flyers hold the edge in the series in Romeoville, 15-10.
Lewis in 2018-19. Lewis, who hosts Bellarmine Thursday evening before welcoming USI on Saturday, completed a sweep of a GLVC road trip last Saturday with a 69-61 victory over McKendree University to go to 15-4 overall, 7-3 GLVC.
