#5 Southern Indiana (16-0, 7-0 GLVC): 74
#10 Kentucky Wesleyan (16-2, 5-1 GLVC): 69
Box Score

OWENSBORO, Ky.—Facing its largest deficit of the 2009-10 season, and its toughest challenge to date, the No. 5 University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team rallied for a 74-69 victory over arch-rival and No. 10 Kentucky Wesleyan College Thursday night at the Sportscenter.

USI (16-0, 7-0 GLVC) trailed by seven points with 7:49 to play in the first half, but cut the deficit to just three at the break (33-30).

The Screaming Eagles, who have matched the program's best start with their 16th straight win and are just a win away from tying their all-time best winning streak (17), tied the contest at 35-35 a minute into the second period before using an 11-2 run to build its largest lead of the game (52-42) with 10 minutes to play in the contest.

Kentucky Wesleyan (16-2, 5-1 GLVC), which saw its 16-game winning streak come to a close, cut USI's advantage to a single point (65-64) with three minutes remaining in the game, but six straight free throws and a big three-pointer by junior forward Nick Duncheon allowed the Eagles to clinch the five-point win and keep their undefeated streak intact.

Senior guard Jamar Smith led the Eagles with 15 points, while fellow classmate Marvin Gray chipped in 13 points. Desmond Stephens led the Panthers with 19 points and eight assists.

USI is scheduled to host No. 14 Quincy University Saturday at 3:15 p.m. at the Physical Activities Center. The Hawks (15-0, 6-0 GLVC) kept their undefeated season intact by defeating the University of Missouri-St. Louis, 75-63, Thursday evening in Quincy, Illinois.