The 20th-ranked University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball faces one of its toughest weeks of the season when it travels to 16th-ranked University of Indianapolis Thursday and hosts top-ranked Bellarmine University Saturday. Game time Thursday versus UIndy is set for 6:30 p.m. (CST), while tip-off against Bellarmine is a special Saturday start time of 7:30 p.m.
Game coverage for USI Men’s Basketball in 2019-20, including live stats, video, and audio broadcasts, is available at GoUSIEagles.com. The games also can be heard on ESPN 97.7FM and 95.7FM The Spin.
In the national polls, USI fell to 20th in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Top 25, falling eight spots. UIndy fell five to 16th, while Bellarmine remains in the top spot for the fifth-straight week.
The Eagles also fell out of the Division 2 Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA) Top 25 poll for the first time this season, but received votes for the poll. Bellarmine also was ranked number one in the D2SIDA poll, while UIndy fell to 21st.
USI Men’s Basketball Week 9 Quick Notes:
USI finishes homestand 4-1. USI finished its longest homestand of the season, 4-1, after a GLVC-weekend split to open the 2020 calendar. Junior forwards Josh Price and Emmanuel Little led the way during the homestand with double-doubles. Price averaged 17.6 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, while Little posted 15.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest.
In the rankings. USI fell to 20th nationally in the NABC Top 25 poll, dropping eight spots. The Eagles also fell out of the D2SIDA Top 25 poll for the first time this season.
Eagles stumbled during homestand finale. The Eagles stumbled during the homestand finale to Southwest Baptist University, 71-69. Junior forward Josh Price and junior guard Mateo Rivera led the way with 17 points each, while junior guard/forward Clayton Hughes and senior guard Joe Laravie followed with 13 points and 11 points, respectively.
Leading the Eagles. Junior forward Emmanuel Little leads four USI players averaging in double-digits with 17.1 points per game with junior forward Josh Price following with 15.6 points per outing. Price has the team-lead in rebounding with 8.7 per contest, Little is second with 8.2 per contests.
Price doubling it up. Junior forward Josh Price was double-trouble for opponents during the homestand, posting three double-doubles in five games. Price has a team-best five double-doubles this season.
USI vs. Indianapolis. USI leads the all-time series versus the University of Indianapolis, 58-22, and has won the last four meetings. The Eagles swept the two meetings last year, defeating the Greyhounds on the road, 85-70, and in the final game in the Physical Activities Center, 67-65, on a game-winning shot by guard Alex Stein.
#16 Indianapolis in 2019-20. UIndy is ranked 16th nationally this week and has a 9-2 overall record, 1-2 in the GLVC. The Greyhounds have split their last four contests after starting the year 7-0.
USI vs. Bellarmine. USI leads the all-time series versus Bellarmine University, 52-44, after splitting four games last season. The Eagles lost at home 92-80, but bounced back to win on the road, 80-76, during the regular season before falling to the Knights in the GLVC Tournament, 67-61, Edwardsville, Illinois, and winning the NCAA II Midwest Regional, 76-69, at Romeoville, Illinois.
#1 Bellarmine in 2019-20. Bellarmine comes to the Screaming Eagles Arena ranked number one nationally. The Knights, who play at McKendree Thursday before coming to Evansville, start the week 10-0 overall and 3-0 in the GLVC.
NABC Division II Top 25 Poll
1. Bellarmine (Ky.)
2. Northwest Missouri State
3. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.)
4. Nova Southeastern (Fla.)
5. West Texas A&M
6. UC San Diego
7. St. Edward’s (Texas)
8. West Chester (Pa.)
9. Indiana (Pa.)
10. DBU (Texas)
11. Ferris State (Mich.)
12. Missouri Southern
13. Alabama Huntsville
14. Florida Southern
15. St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.)
16. Indianapolis (Ind.)
17. Bentley (Mass.)
18. Grand Valley State (Mich.)
19. Dixie State (Utah)
20. Southern Indiana
21. Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
22. Catawba (N.C.)
23. Missouri-St. Louis
24. Western Oregon
25. Cal Poly Pomona
D2SIDA Men’s Basketball
1. Bellarmine
2. Northwest Missouri State
3. UC San Diego
4. Lincoln Memorial
5. Nova Southeastern
6. West Chester
7. St. Edward’s
8. West Texas A&M
9. Indiana (Pa.)
10. Ferris State
11. St. Thomas Aquinas
12. Missouri Southern State
13. Dallas Baptist
14. Barry
15. Florida Southern
16. Catawba
17. Grand Valley State
18. Bentley
19. Dixie State
20. Azusa Pacific
21. Indianapolis
22. Charleston
23. Minnesota Duluth
24. Queens (N.C.)
25. Jefferson
Others Receiving Votes (on more than one ballot): Embry-Riddle – 42;
Alabama-Huntsville – 24; Southern Indiana – 15; Concordia Irvine – 14;
Missouri-St. Louis – 10; Southeastern Oklahoma State – 5; Lee – 4;
7 teams named on one ballot each
