USI’s 2nd half rally falls short

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball won the second half, but lost the 2023-24 home opener to Chicago State University, 78-67, Sunday afternoon at Screaming Eagles Arena. The Screaming Eagles start the year 0-3, while Chicago State begins 2023-24, 1-2.

The Cougars took command of the game in the first half. Chicago State raced out to a  25-point margin, 41-16, before USI closed the difference to 19 in the final minute of the half. USI junior forward Jack Mielke (Downers Grove, Indiana) sank a pair of three-pointers from the left side to end the first 20 minutes with a 41-22 score.
 
In the second half, USI’s offense gained momentum and with a 16-5 run cut the deficit to 10 points, 55-45, with 9:43 to play when junior guard Jeremiah Hernandez (Chicago, Illinois) dunked in his 10^th and 11^th points of the game and his seventh and eighth points of the run. The Cougars re-extended the lead back to 16, 65-49, before the Eagles could make another run at the end of the contest.
 
The final two minutes of the game saw USI cut the margin to seven points, 67-60, with an 11-2 run that was capped off by a dunk by Hernandez. Hernandez and sophomore guard/forward AJ Smith (Edwardsville, Illinois) led the Eagles during the run with five points each.
 
Time would run out on the Eagles as the Cougars pushed the difference back to double-digits, including a pair of 13 point leads in the final minutes. USI made one more run with a 5-0 sprint before Chicago State hit the final bucket in a 78-67 decision.
 
On the stat sheet, Smith led the Eagles with a career-best 21 points and 16 rebounds. The sophomore, who had 15 points in the second half, was six-of-14 from the field and nine-of-10 from the stripe. He also had eight rebounds in each half.
 
Hernandez followed USI in the scoring column with 18 points, scoring all 18 in the second half. Mielke rounded out the USI double-digit scorers with 10 points.
 
Next Up For USI:
USI continues its two-game homestand Tuesday when it hosts Tiffin University. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Screaming Eagles Arena.
 
The Eagles hold a 6-0 advantage all-time over the Dragons, winning the last meeting in 2019, 105-89.
 
The Dragons are 2-0 after sweeping a pair of games in the G-MAC/GLVC Crossover at Ohio Dominican University Friday and Saturday. Tiffin defeated McKendree University, 68-65, and Lewis University, 71-66.