The University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team won the first round of the 2003-04 "Battle of the Bridge" with a 78-65 road victory over Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, Kentucky, Monday evening. USI goes to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the GLVC, while KWC falls to 1-1, 0-1 GLVC.

The Screaming Eagles, who only trailed twice in the game, took control on a three-point field goal by junior guard Aaron Austin (Chicago Height, Illinois) to take the lead 9-8 with 15:19 to play and never looked back. By the end of the first half, the Eagles had built their biggest lead of the half at 38-31 going into the intermission.

In the second half, the Panthers would only get as close as five points, 41-36, with 16:56 to play. Each time KWC would make a run, the Eagles would rebuild the lead to 10 or more points.

USI's biggest lead of the game, 16 points, came in the final minutes at 76-60.

Austin led the Eagles in scoring with a team-high 14 points, while senior forward Billy Harris (Carbondale, Illinois) had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Junior center Randy Holbrook (St. Louis, Missouri) joined Harris by dropping in 13 points during the second half.

The Eagles resume action in the GLVC Thursday, December 4, at the University of Missouri-St. Louis for a 7:30 p.m. contest. USI will finish its four-game road swing with a 3:15 p.m. contest at Quincy University Saturday, December 6. The squad will return to the friendly confines of the Physical Activities Center Monday, December 8, when it host Henderson State University for a 7 p.m.