EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The fourth-ranked University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team stumbled in the final second to the University of Indianapolis, 70-68, Saturday afternoon at the Physical Activities Center. USI falls to 16-2 overall and 8-2 in the GLVC, while UIndy goes to 14-4, 7-3 GLVC.
The setback snapped USI's 11-game winning streak and it was the first loss in 38 games under Head Coach
Rodney Watson when leading at halftime.
The game-winning bucket came with 0.5 seconds left on the clock when UIndy junior center Wilbur O'Neal tipped in the rebound of a shot by senior guard Darius Adams. The Eagles missed a chance to tie when USI senior guard
Kevin Gant (Indianapolis, Indiana) was fouled on the inbound pass.
USI's hopes at tying the game vanished when Gant missed the first free throw and a lane violation was called on the Eagles before he could intentionally miss his second attempt. Free throws haunted the Eagles in the loss as they were only 7-of-15 from the charity stripe.
The Eagles were led in the game by junior guard
Brandon Hogg (Edwardsville, Illinois), who had 16 points to lead five USI players in double figures. Gant followed Hogg in the scoring column with 13 points, while senior center
Mohamed Ntumba (Kinshasa, Congo) recorded a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
The double-figure scorers were rounded out by senior guard #C.J. Trotter# (Hopkinsville, Kentucky) and senior guard
Jared Rehmel (Jasonville, Indiana) with 10 points each.
USI fought its way through the first half and built a 39-37 lead by the intermission. The largest lead of the half for the Eagles was seven points, 14-7, in the opening five minutes.
The Eagles started the second half by constructing a pair of 10-point leads before the midway point of the final 20 minutes. The Greyhounds chipped away at the lead and tied the game 68-68 with 21 seconds left to set the stage for O'Neal's last second tip-in.
USI continues the four-game homestand next week during Homecoming festivities. The Eagles tip off the week January 27 at 7:30 p.m. when it hosts Lewis University and celebrate Homecoming January 29 at 3:15 p.m. when it plays the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
