EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The sixth-ranked University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team flew past 18th-ranked Kentucky Wesleyan College, 93-64, Monday night at Physical Activities Center. USI, which has won 11 straight games, raises its record 16-1 overall and 8-1 in the GLVC, while KWC falls to 12-3, 5-3 GLVC.
The 29-point USI win is the third largest margin of victory by the Screaming Eagles over the Panthers. Largest margin of victory came in the 1995 NCAA Division II Regional when USI defeated KWC, 102-67.
USI had the early seven-point advantage to open the game, but KWC went on a 18-4 run to build its own seven-point lead of 20-13. The Eagles responded with a 17-8 run in the final five minutes of the half and led at the break, 38-37.
The second half was all Eagles as they outscored the Panthers 55-27 and led by as many as 31 points, 93-62, with 1:01 left. USI junior guard
Brandon Hogg (Edwardsville, Illinois) led the Eagles' second half offensive outburst by scoring 15 of his game-high 21 points.
Hogg hit 5-of-9 from the field, including a three-pointer, and was 10-of-13 from the charity stripe. He also led the Eagles with five rebounds and tied for the team-lead with five assists.
As a team, the Eagles hit 61.5 percent from the field (32-52), 61.1 percent from beyond the three-point arc (11-18), and 81.8 percent from the line (18-22). USI also outrebounded KWC, 30-22, and committed only six turnovers.
Following Hogg in the scoring column were four other Eagles in double figures. Senior guard
Jared Rehmel (Jasonville, Indiana) had a season-high 17 points, while senior guard #C.J. Trotter# (Paducah, Kentucky) was third on the team with 16 points.
The double-figure scorers were rounded out by senior center
Mohamed Ntumba (Kinshasa, Congo), who had 14 points, and senior guard
Kevin Gant (Indianapolis, Indiana), who had 10 points. Gant also tied Hogg for the team lead with five assists.
The Eagles continue the four-game homestand Saturday at 3:15 p.m. when they host the University of Indianapolis. The Greyhounds went to 13-3 overall and 6-2 in the GLVC after losing a heartbreaker at home to 2nd-ranked Bellarmine University, 99-97.
