USI overpowered by Tech, 84-69

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COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball was overpowered by Tennessee Tech University, 84-69, Thursday evening in Cookeville, Tennessee. The Screaming Eagles go to 13-13 overall and 6-7 in the OVC, while the Golden Eagles are 12-14, 8-5 OVC.   
  
USI falls to seventh in the OVC standing with the loss but is a game out of fifth and two games out of fourth with five regular season games to play. The top eight teams in the OVC advance to the league’s postseason tournament scheduled for March 1-4 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.
 
The Screaming Eagles held the first half close for the first eight minutes and trailed by one point, 16-15, before the Golden Eagles went on a 14-4 run to take command of the first half, 30-19. Tech would extend the lead to a first half best 12 points, 47-35, with 38 second before halftime.
 
After the 14-4 run, USI pulled to with six points twice before going in the intermission down 11, 47-36. Senior forward Jacob Polakovich (Grand Rapids, Michigan) reached a double-double in the opening 20 minutes with 10 points, 10 rebounds to lead the Screaming Eagles.
 
The second half started with Tech racing out to a 9-0 run and grabbed a 20-point lead, 56-36, before three minutes were gone. The Golden Eagles would extend the lead to as many as 27 points, 70-43, with 14:20 to play in the contest.
 
USI was able to close the gap significantly in the final 14 minutes before Tech closed out the 84-69 final.
 
In the scoring column, sophomore guard Isaiah Swope (Newburgh, Indiana) led the USI Eagles with 15 points. Swope scored eight of his 15 in the second half.
 
Polakovich added four points and four rebounds to his totals and finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds. The double-double was the senior forward’s 11th of the season and his 16th double-digit rebound contest of the year.
 
The Screaming Eagles played without senior guard Jelani Simmons (Columbus, Ohio), who was sidelined with an ankle injury.
 
Next Up For USI:  
USI comes home to Screaming Eagles Arena Saturday when it hosts Lindenwood University for Senior Night. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. and will follow the honoring of the Eagles four seniors – guard Tyler Henry (Brooklyn, New York), forward Trevor Lakes (Lebanon, Indiana), senior guard Jelani Simmons, and senior forward Jacob Polakovich.
 
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ (with cable subscription) in addition to being heard on ESPN 97.7FM and 95.7FM The Spin.    
 
The Lindenwood Lions saw its record go to 9-17 overall and 4-9 in the OVC after falling to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 63-58, tonight at home. Lindenwood was led by senior guard Kevin Caldwell, Jr., who had 13 points.

For the season, Lindenwood senior guard Chris Childs leads the Lions and four others in double-figures this season with 12.9 points per game.

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