USI loses 2nd half lead, falls 80-76

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball could not hold onto a 12-point second half lead and fell to Tennessee State University, 80-76, Thursday evening at Screaming Eagles Arena. The Eagles go to 13-11 overall and 6-5 in the OVC, while the Tigers are 13-11, 5-6 OVC.    
 
With the loss, USI falls into a three-way tie for fourth in the OVC standings and two games out of first.
   
USI and TSU traded baskets and leads through the first six minutes before USI went on a 6-0 run to take a five-point lead, 13-8, on pair of buckets by sophomore guard Isaiah Swope (Newburgh, Indiana) and a basket by junior guard Gary Solomon (Detroit, Michigan). The Tigers responded with a burst of their own to retake the lead, 17-16, on a 9-3 dash.
 
A 9-2 surge by the Eagles would match the earlier five-point lead, 30-25, with 3:23 left in the opening half. Junior guard Tyler Henry (Brooklyn, New York) led run with six of the nine points.
 
The Tigers bounced back for a second time and used an 8-0 run to get their largest lead of the half, 33-30, with 50 second left before the intermission. Swope, who had 12 first half points, would get the Eagles back to within a point, 33-32, with the final bucket of the first half.  
 
The second half started in the Eagles favor as USI regained the lead, and largest to that point, 39-33 on a 7-0 run. USI’s defense was the star of the second half opening run, holding TSU scoreless for the first 3:51 of the final stanza.
 
USI’s overall run to start the second half was 16-5 and gave the Eagles a 10-points advantage, 48-38, with 13:23 to play. The Eagles pushed the lead to as many as 12, 54-42, on a Swope three-pointer with 11:38 to play.
 
TSU would once again rally to re-take the lead, 67-66, with a 25-12 wave and 5:42 to play in the contest.
 
The Tigers would expand their new lead to as many as five points, 71-66, before USI came back to knot the game, 73-73, on a pair of buckets and a free throw by Swope. TSU, however, would score seven of the final 10 points of the game, for the 80-76 final, holding USI to one-of-five from the field in final three minutes.
 
USI had four players score in double-digits for the game, led by Swope, who had 24 points and six assists. Swope was nine-of-18 from the field, four-of-nine from beyond the arc, and two-of-three from the line.
 
Senior guard Jelani Simmons (Columbus, Ohio) continued his march to becoming the 23^rd Eagle to reach 1,000 points at USI by posting 14 points. Simmons, who has 1,370 career in his career at USI and Youngstown State University, has 940 points in his three seasons as an Eagle.
 
Henry and graduate forward Trevor Lakes (Lebanon, Indiana) rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points and 10 points, respectively.
  
Next Up For USI:   
USI concludes the homestand Saturday when it hosts Morehead State University for the Homecoming game at Screaming Eagles Arena. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m.  
 
The game, which is slated for a 3:30 p.m. tip, will be streamed on ESPN+ in addition to being heard on ESPN 97.7FM and 95.7FM The Spin.   
  
Morehead watched its season go to 15-9 overall and 8-3 in the OVC after defeating Tennessee Tech University, 64-45, this evening at home. The Morehead Eagles, who maintained at least a share of first in the OVC standings, were led by senior guard Mark Freeman with 18 points.  
 
USI lost the first ever meeting with Morehead, 84-80, January 5 in Morehead, Kentucky. The USI Eagles were led by Swope with a 25-point, four assists game, while the Morehead Eagles were paced by 24 points by Freeman and 22 points by senior guard Jake Wolfe.