Southern Indiana (4-0): 81
Wayne State (0-1): 64

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team christened the newly renovated Physical Activities Center with a victory over Wayne State University, 81-64, Wednesday evening. The Screaming Eagles raised their record to 4-0, while the Warriors start the year 0-1.

USI took control of the game with a 15-2 run midway through first half to lead 22-9. Senior guard Melvin Hall (Evansville, Indiana) and senior forward Marty Wise (New Orleans, Louisiana) combined for 10 of the 15 points to lead the run.

The Eagles would extend the lead to as many as 17 points, 28-11, before the Warriors fought back into the contest. Wayne State would cut the USI margin to seven points twice in the final minute of the first half, but the Eagles scrambled to take a nine-point lead, 41-32, into the intermission.

USI pushed the margin back to 20 points in the first five minutes of the second half, 56-36, on a 16-4 run. The Eagles would extend the margin to a pair of 27-point leads before settling for the 17-point victory.

Hall led the Eagles in scoring for a third-straight game with 18 points, including four three-point field goals. The USI single-season record holder for three-point field goals has 18 in four games this season, eight ahead of last year's pace.

Senior center Rashard Sullivan was the only other double-figure scorer for USI with 17 points.

The Eagles resume action Saturday when they host Tiffin University for a 3 p.m. contest.