#1 Southern Indiana (11-1, 4-1 GLVC): 77
Lewis (11-1, 5-0 GLVC): 82
The #1-ranked University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team stumbled for the first time this season, falling to Lewis University, 82-77, at the Physical Activities Center Friday evening. USI falls to 11-1 overall and 4-1 in the GLVC, while Lewis goes to 11-1 overall, 5-1 GLVC.
The Flyers led the game from start to finish, jumping out to a 6-0 lead before the Screaming Eagles could get on the board. USI tied the score at 18-18, but Lewis used a 19-8 run in the final eight minutes of the first half to lead at halftime, 37-26.
In the second half, the Flyers bumped the lead to as many as 11 points, 51-40, before USI started to chip away. The Eagles were able to get to within three points two on different occasions, but that was as close as they would come.
The key to the 82-77 final came at the free throw line. The Flyers were able to hit 18-of-22 from the charity strip, while the Eagles were only 13-of-22 from the line.
USI was led by senior centerÂ
John Oden (St. Louis, Missouri) with 21 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Oden was followed in the scoring column by freshman forwardÂ
Geoff Van Winkle (Ferdinand, Indiana) with 19 points, while senior forwardÂ
Clarence Chillers (Chicago, Illinois) and senior guardÂ
Joe Gordon (Palm Bay, Flordia) had 11 points each.
The Eagles will try to get back on track in the final game of their seven-game homestand Sunday, January 4, when they host the Rangers of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Game time Sunday is 3:15 p.m.
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