Southern Indiana (24-6): 96
Kentucky Wesleyan (22-8): 83

University of Southern Indiana senior guard/forward Joe Gordon (Palm Bay, Florida) and senior guard Avery Queen (Moreno Valley, California) posted career-highs in scoring as the Screaming Eagles defeated Kentucky Wesleyan College, 96-83, in the first round of the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional in Romeoville, Illinois. USI, the third seed in the tournament, raises its record to 24-6 overall, while KWC, the sixth seed, falls to 22-8.

The biggest bucket of the afternoon for Gordon, who had a career-high 32 points, was a three-pointer to take a 50-47 lead into the locker room at halftime. Gordon had 19 points in the first half, hitting seven-of-10 from the field, while scoring 13 in the second half and hitting five-of-seven from the field.

Queen scored 16 of his 19 points in the first half, hitting seven-of-nine in the first half. He also had a game-high eight assists in the game.

Gordon and Queen were joined in double figure scoring by junior guard Cris Brunson (Evansville, Indiana) with 12 points. Junior center Randy Holbrook (St. Louis, Missouri) posted a game-high 10 rebounds as USI outrebounded KWC, 45-29.

The Eagles did the job on the defensive end in the second half, holding the Panthers to 20.6 percent from the field in the second half (7-34). USI also held KWC senior Bobby Zuerner, who had 24 points in the first half, to just three points in the second stanza.

The victory was the first for the Eagles over the Panthers in the NCAA Division II Tournament since 1995. In 1995 and also in 1994, the Eagles defeated the Panthers in the NCAA II Tournament and went on to advance to the Elite Eight both seasons.

The Eagles will face the University of Findlay (24-6), the second seed, at 5 p.m. (CT) Sunday, March 14. Findlay defeated the University of Indianapolis, 84-83, in overtime to advance.