EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball begins February on the road for a pair of Ohio Valley Conference games, visiting Tennessee Tech University Thursday and Tennessee State University Saturday. Tipoff at TTU in Cookeville, Tennessee, is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, while the start time at TSU in Nashville is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
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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/).
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USI (5-16, 2-6 OVC) hopes to get back on track on the road and break its five-game losing streak. The Screaming Eagles lost its only game last week, falling to Western Illinois University, 73-68, in the final game of the three-game homestand. Junior guard Jeremiah Hernandez (Chicago, Illinois) led the way for USI with 26 points in the loss.
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Hernandez leads the team through 21 games with 16.7 points per game, which ranks sixth overall in the OVC. Junior guard/forward AJ Smith (Edwardsville, Illinois) follows with 12.7 points and a team-best 9.1 rebounds per outing, while posting a team-high eight double-doubles.
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USI has 10 games remaining in the 2023-24 regular season, nine in February and one in March. The Eagles, currently tied for eighth in the OVC, are on the road for six of the 10 remaining games as they fight for a spot in the league’s post-season tournament at the Ford Center March 6-9.
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TTU (7-14, 2-6 OVC) has lost its last three games after losing a pair last week. The Golden Eagles lost at Eastern Illinois University, 68-59, January 25 and at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 74-57, January 27.
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TTU took the first meeting between the two programs this season, 73-59, in Screaming Eagles Arena. USI was led by Hernandez, who had 18 points, while sophomore guard Jack Campion (Milton, Wisconsin) and Smith rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 points and 10 points, respectively. The Golden Eagles lead the all-time series, 3-0, after posting a sweep of the Screaming Eagles last year.
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TSU (12-9, 5-3 OVC) is the hottest team in the league, winning its last four games. The Tigers extended their winning streak to four games with a 58-57 win at Western Illinois January 20 and a 64-60 win at Eastern Illinois January 27.
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USI won the first meeting of the season with TSU, 69-67, at Screaming Eagles Arena. Hernandez led the Screaming Eagles to the January 4 victory with 20 points, while Smith recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Â
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The Screaming Eagles lead the all-time series with the Tigers, 2-1, with the win in January and a split last year. USI won the 2022-23 season-finale at TSU last year, 93-81.
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Tickets for the road trip are on sale and can be purchased by visiting the USI Ticket Office on-line. For more information, call the USI Ticket Office at 812-465-1189.
