USI Opens ’18-19 With Exhibitions At Indiana, Butler

0

University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball opens the 2018-19 campaign with exhibition game visits to Indiana University Thursday and Butler University Saturday. Tip-off Thursday versus Indiana in Bloomington, Indiana, is slated for 6 p.m. (CDT), while Saturday at Butler in Indianapolis is scheduled for 3 p.m. (CDT).

Game coverage for the exhibition game, including live stats, video stream, and audio broadcasts, is available at GoUSIEagles.com. The games also can be heard on ESPN97.7FM and 95.7FM The Spin.

USI students and fans can watch the Eagles-Hoosier game on campus Thursday night in Forum 3 of the Wright Administration Building. Admission is free of charge.

USI Men’s Basketball vs. Exhibition Game Quick Notes: 

  • USI picked 4th In the GLVC preseason poll.  The University of Southern Indiana was predicted to finish fourth in the 14-team Great Lakes Valley Conference in 2018. The 2018-19 GLVC will be one division this year, the first time since 2004-05 when the league had 11 members.
  • Stein selected for two All-America teams. USI senior guard Alex Stein, who was named honorable mention All-American last spring, has been selected for a pair of preseason All-America teams, earning an honorable mention spot in Street & Smith’s College Basketball and Division II Bulletin.
  • Final go around for the “West Side Three”.  Linked throughout their high school and college careers, senior guard Alex Stein, guard/forward Nate Hansen, and forward Jacob Norman begin their final season together on the basketball court.
  • Price returns the court. Sophomore forward Josh Price makes his return to the court after three years away from college basketball. Price played one season at Indiana University East, averaging 3.4 points and 2.8 rebounds during 2014-15. He also posted eight points and four rebounds versus the Eagles as a freshman.
  • Mbumba follows Africa tradition to USI. Junior forward Hugues Mbumba, who is from Lubumbashi, Congo, follows in the footsteps of other great USI players from the African continent. Mbumba follows Kinshasa, Congo, natives Ilo Mutumbo, who was an All-GLVC performer between 1987 and 1991, and Mohamed Ntumba, who was an All-American for the Eagles between 2009 and 2011.
  • 2017-18 USI exhibition games. USI was 2-0 in exhibition games in 2017-18, posting wins over Manchester University, 108-66, at home and over Eastern Illinois University, 95-92, on the road. Senior guard Alex Stein led the way with 27 points (26 versus Manchester; 28 versus EIU) and 9.5 assists (10 versus Manchester; 9 versus EIU) per game, while sophomore forward Emmanuel Littlefollowed with 16 points (13 versus Manchester; 19 points versus EIU) and 10.5 rebounds (12 versus Manchester; 9 versus EIU).
  • USI vs. Division I in exhibitions. The Eagles are 1-17 in exhibition games against Division I teams since 2003. USI posted its first victory over a Division I team last year when won at Eastern Illinois University, 95-92. Previous Division I opponents have been the University of Evansville, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Tennessee, University of Louisville, University of Cincinnati, Southern Illinois University, University of Illinois, Vanderbilt University, Purdue University, Indiana University, University of Dayton and Illinois State University.  The average score versus Division I opponents of 81.6 (1469)-65.7 (1210).
  • Last win over a Division I opponent in the regular season. The Eagles’ last win over a Division I opponent came during the 1990-91 regular season when they defeated the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin.
  • USI exhibition record since 1990. USI is under .500 in exhibition games since 1990, posting a 17-19 mark.
  • USI vs. Indiana. The Eagles are visiting the Hoosiers for the second time in program history. USI lost the first exhibition meeting in 2013-14, 83-68, and was led by former All-American Aaron Nelson, who had 14 points.
  • USI vs. Butler.  USI and Butler are facing off on the basketball court for the first time in the history of the two programs.
  • USI finished 2017-18 in GLVC Tournament. The University of Southern Indiana finished 2017-18 with a 20-11 overall record and third in the GLVC East Division. The Screaming Eagles also made an appearance in the GLVC Tournament, bowing out in the first round.
  • Stein and Little honored by GLVC. USI senior guard Alex Stein and sophomore forward Emmanuel Little were honored by the GLVC with post-season honors in 2017-18. Stein was named first-team All-GLVC for the second season in a row, while Little became the first ever Eagle to be named to the All-Freshman team.
  • Stein named All-American and All-Midwest. Eagles’ senior guard Alex Stein was named honorable mention All-America by Division II Bulletin and second-team All-Midwest by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
  • Stein in the top five. USI senior guard Alex Stein, who was recognized on NCAA.com as one of the 2017-18 NCAA Division II’s top six scorers, is in the Eagles’ top-five all-time for scoring with 1,473 points. Stein is 89 points behind fourth-place Cris Brunson (1,562 points, 2001-05).
  • USI led the GLVC in 2017-18. USI led the GLVC in total rebounds (1,179) and blocked shots (88).

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR