#10 Southern Indiana (18-2, 7-2 GLVC): 83
Northern Kentucky (12-5, 5-4 GLVC): 71

Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The 10th-ranked University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team moved into first place in the GLVC's West Division with an 83-71 victory over Northern Kentucky University Saturday afternoon at the Physical Activities Center. USI raised its record to 18-2 overall and 7-2 GLVC, while NKU falls to 12-5, 5-4 GLVC.

The Screaming Eagles moved into sole possession of first with Quincy University's loss at Saint Joseph's College, 67-63. USI also increased its lead over Southern Illinois University Edwardsville to one-and-a-half games with the Cougars' loss to the University of Indianapolis, 69-67.

In the USI victory over NKU, the first half was tight for the first 10 minutes with four ties and three lead changes. The Eagles flew out to a pair of 15-point leads with the first, 46-31, coming with 51 seconds remaining and the second, 48-33, coming at the intermission. USI also shot a blistering 74.1 percent in the first half (20-27).

USI senior center Rashard Sullivan dominated the first half for the Eagles, scoring 15 points and grabbing seven rebounds. He finished with a game-high 19 points.

The second half saw the Eagles maintain a 15-18 point lead until the Norse made a run in the final nine minutes to cut the margin to eight points, 71-63, with 5:13 left to play. That would be as close as NKU would get as USI went nine-of-nine from the line in the final 4:30 to seal the victory.

Sullivan led five USI players with double-figures in the scoring column. Junior guard Kenny Page (Indianapolis, Indiana) followed Sullivan with 15 points, 10 coming in the first half, while senior forward Nick Brooks (Robinson, Illinois) dropped in 13 points off the bench.

The double-figure scorers also included senior forward Marty Wise (New Orleans, Louisiana) and senior guard Melvin Hall (Evansville, Indiana) with 10 points each. Wise grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds to record his sixth double-double of the year.

The Eagles take to the road next week when they travel to Lewis University January 25 and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside January 27. The next home game for USI will be February 1 when it hosts the University of Missouri-St. Louis.