BOX SCORE: USI 75, Bellarmine 62 | Photo Gallery

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team stunned sixth-ranked Bellarmine University, 75-62, Thursday evening in the Physical Activities Center. USI remains perfect in the season-opening homestand at 5-0 overall and 1-0 in the GLVC, while Bellarmine falls to 4-2, 0-1 GLVC.

The victory also broke USI's three-game losing skid to Bellarmine, dating back to 2007-08. The win also was the first over a top-10 teams since last year when USI defeated third-ranked Florida Southern College at the PAC in the Bill Joergens Memorial Tournament.

The Screaming Eagles took control of the contest early, building an 11-point advantage, 15-4, in the first five minutes. The Knights fought back into the game, tying the game on three occasions, before the Eagles managed to get into the locker room with a 38-33 lead at the intermission.

In the second half, USI pulled away on the strength of a 19-6 run to lead by 21-points, 60-39, with 10:49 left to play. The 21-point advantage was the largest lead of the game for the Eagles.

Bellarmine would try to claw their way back into the contest and would close the gap to 11 points, 73-62, but would get no closer.

Offensively, USI shot 53.7 percent from the field (29-54), while holding Bellarmine to 40 percent from the outside (24-60). The Eagles also won the battle of the boards, 34-33.

Individually, senior guard Jamar Smith (Peoria, Illinois) lit up the nets with 28 points, one short of a career-high. He was 11-of-21 from the field and 6-of-13 from beyond the three-point arc, while pulling down five rebounds.

Senior forward Tyrone Bradshaw (Cincinnati, Ohio) and senior forward/center Jeron Lewis (Ft. Wayne, Indiana) followed Smith in the scoring column with 13 points and 12 points, respectively. Bradshaw was a blistering six-of-nine from the field, while grabbing six rebounds, blocking three shots, and making two steals.

Lewis was three-of-four from the field and six-of-eight from the charity stripe in addition to pulling down a team-best seven rebounds.

Senior guard Marvin Gray (Freeport, Bahamas) rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points off the bench. He was four-of-five from the field with a three-point field goal and a pair of free throws.

The Eagles resume GLVC action Saturday when they host Northern Kentucky University at 3:15 p.m. NKU went to 4-3 overall and 0-1 in the GLVC after losing 55-54 at the University of Indianapolis tonight.