EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball begins a three-game homestand Thursday when it hosts the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for a 7:30 p.m. Ohio Valley Conference matchup. The homestand continues Saturday when USI welcomes Morehead State University to Screaming Eagles Arena for a 3:30 p.m. tipoff.
The USI-Morehead State contest Saturday is Military Appreciation Day at Screaming Eagles Arena.
The three-game homestand, which is the longest of the season for the Screaming Eagles, concludes January 25 when USI takes on Western Illinois University for a game that will be aired live on ESPNU at 8 p.m. The game, which is the White Out Game for USI, will mark the second-straight year that a game will be televised live from Screaming Eagles Arena.
Fans can track your Eagles all season by visiting the schedule on USIScreamingEagles.com for links to follow all of the action on the ESPN+, ESPN 97.7FM (http://listentotheref.com), and 95.7FM The Spin (http://957thespin.com/).
USI (5-13, 2-3 OVC) has lost its last two games, including last week’s loss at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 67-64.  Sophomore guard/forward AJ Smith (Edwardsville, Illinois) led three Eagles in double-digits with his eighth double-double of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds.
Junior guard Jeremiah Hernandez (Chicago, Illinois) followed with 15 points, while sophomore guard Jack Campion (Milton, Wisconsin) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.
Hernandez leads the team through 18 games with 14.8 points per game, which ranks ninth overall in the OVC. Smith follows with 13.5 points and a team-best 9.5 rebounds per outing, while posting a team-high eight double-doubles. The eight double-doubles are tied for first in the OVC.
Little Rock (8-10, 2-3 OVC) also lost its only game last week, 77-72, at the University of Tennessee at  Martin. The Trojans have lost their last two contests and three of the last four.
USI took both games last season, winning at home and on ESPNU, 74-67, and on the road in thrilling fashion, 82-81.
The MSU Eagles (13-5, 4-1 OVC) are second in the OVC after falling for the first time last week, 61-48, at SIU Edwardsville. The loss broke Morehead State’s five-game winning streak and gave the Eagles their first loss in league play. MSU Eagles visit UT Martin on Thursday before coming to Screaming Eagles Arena.
Morehead State took both games with USI last year, winning at home, 84-80, and at Screaming Eagles Arena in overtime, 71-66.
