University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball takes on a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division opponents this week, beginning with the University of Indianapolis in the Physical Activities Center Thursday at 7:30 p.m.  Game coverage for all of USI’s game action, including live stats, video stream, and audio broadcasts, is available at GoUSIEagles.com. The games also can be heard on ESPN 97.7 WREF and 95.7FM The Spin.
Following Thursday’s contest, USI is idle through the remainder of the weekend until it travels to Louisville, Kentucky, Monday to visit top-ranked Bellarmine University for a 7 p.m. (CST) contest.
USI Men’s Basketball Week 9 Notes:Â
USI splits in GLVC play last week. USI split the first weekend of 2018, posting an exciting overtime victory at home versus the University of Missouri-St. Louis, 84-73, and losing on the road to Drury University, 71-61. The Screaming Eagles shutout UMSL, 11-0, in overtime to defeat the Tritons to start the weekend. Junior guard Alex Stein and junior guard/forward Nate Hansen led the Eagles in scoring with 23 and 21 points, respectively. Senior forward DayJar Dickson also had a monster game with 15 points and a career-high 21 rebounds.
In the loss to Drury, USI was led by Stein and senior forward Julius Rajala with 16 and 12 points, respectively. Rajala also posted his second double-double of the year with a career-high 12 boards to lead USI on the glass. Hansen rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points, while Dickson also reached double-figures on the glass with 11 boards.
Leaders last week. Junior guard Alex Stein led three Eagles in double-figures with 19.5 points per game. Junior guard/forward Nate Hansen followed Stein in the scoring column with 16.0 points per outing. Senior forward DayJar Dickson averaged a double-double last week with 11.5 points and 16.0 rebounds per contest.
Dickson dominated the glass versus UMSL. Senior forward DayJar Dickson dominated the glass versus UMSL with 21 rebounds, becoming the first Eagle with 20-or-more rebounds in a game since Aaron Nelson grabbed 23 versus Missouri University of Science & Technology in 2013-14. Nelson holds USI’s single game record with 27 boards versus Kentucky State University in 2013-14.
Stein’s free throw streak ends at 54. USI junior guard Alex Stein saw his school record streak of 54-consecutive free throws made, dating back to the first half of the November 25 contest versus Martin Methodist College, end with a miss on his first attempt at Drury.
Leaders through 16 games. USI has three players averaging double-digits in 2017-18. Junior guard Alex Stein leads the scorers with 19.2 points per game, while junior guard/forward Nate Hansen and senior guard Marcellous Washington round out the double-digit scorers with 15.4 and 12.5 points per contest, respectively. Senior forward DayJar Dickson leads the Eagles on the glass with 7.9 rebounds per outing, 11.5 per contest in GLVC action.
USI in action in the GLVC. The Eagles continue their home-road schedule in the GLVC this week when they host the University of Indianapolis (January 11) and travel to top-ranked (D2SIDA) Bellarmine University (January 15).
USI vs. UIndy. USI leads the all-time series with UIndy, 55-22, 51-21 in conference play. The Eagles also have a 35-8 all-time home mark against the Greyhounds, 34-8 in league action. USI took the first meeting of the year in Indianapolis, 73-67, behind the 24-point performance of senior forward Julius Rajala.
USI vs. Bellarmine. USI is 50-40 all-time against Bellarmine after losing a pair to the Knights last year (78-70 at the PAC; 67-61 in Louisville, Kentucky). Guard Jeril Taylor led the Eagles with 17 points in the loss at the PAC, while junior guard Alex Stein and guard Bobo Drummond paced the Eagles with 20 points and 18 points, respectively, in the loss at Bellarmine. The Eagles have lost three-straight to the Knights and six of the last seven meetings over the last two years after winning six-of-eight between February 2012 and March 2014.
UIndy in 2017-18. The Greyhounds are 9-4 overall, 3-2 in the GLVC, having won four of their last five games. UIndy got back on track in GLVC action with a 76-69 victory over Rockhurst University last weekend and has won its last two conference games.
Bellarmine in 2017-18. The Knights, who were predicted to win the GLVC East Division, are 13-0 overall, 4-0 GLVC. Bellarmine, who is ranked second in the NABC Division II Top 25 and number one In the D2SIDA Media Top 25 polls, has won 51-straight home games, dating back to the third home game of the 2014-15 regular season. USI is the last conference team to win a GLVC regular season game at Knights Hall, defeating Bellarmine, 68-66, in overtime during the 2013-14 campaign. USI center Aaron Nelson led the way for the Eagles in that victory with a double-double (15 points, 19 rebounds).
