EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana senior center Mohamed Ntumba (Kinshasa, Congo) tied a career-high and led the ninth-ranked Screaming Eagles to a 75-71 victory over Lewis University Thursday night at the Physical Activities Center. USI raises its record to 17-2 overall and 9-2 in the GLVC, while Lewis falls to 12-10, 5-6 GLVC.

 

Ntumba tied his career-high for the second time this season with a team-best 22 points, 14 coming in the second half. He was a blistering 10-of-12 from the field and a perfect 2-of-2 from the charity stripe, while grabbing a team-high six rebounds and blocking a pair of shots.

 

The Eagles ended the first 20 minutes with an eight-point lead, 41-33, and had a 10-point advantage twice before the intermission. USI outshot Lewis 56.7 percent (17-30) to 48 percent (12-25) in the first half.

 

The USI advantage increased to 12 points in the opening minutes of the second half, 50-32, but Lewis chipped away and caught the Eagles before the midway point of the final half. The Flyers and the Eagles would trade leads until Lewis was able to put together a trio of four-point leads with 8:00 to play.

 

Trailing 64-60 with 6:56 left, the Eagles went on a 10-0 run to get back into the game and led 70-64. The Flyers, however, would not go quietly and went on a 7-0 run to retake the lead, 71-70, with 1:21 remaining.

 

Ntumba took over from that point, banking in a pair of buckets in the final 1:01 to give USI back the lead, 74-71. USI senior forward Nick Duncheon (Montgomery, Indiana) scored the final point of the game on a free throw with a half a tick left on the clock and produced the 75-71 final.

 

In addition to Ntumba, the Eagles had three other players score in double figures. Senior guard #C.J. Trotter# (Hopkinsville, Kentucky) and junior guard Brandon Hogg (Edwardsville, Indiana) dropped in 12 points each, while senior guard Jared Rehmel (Jasonville, Indiana) added 10 points. Senior guard Kevin Gant (Indianapolis, Indiana) also had a game-high eight assists in the win.

 

USI concludes the four-game homestand Saturday at 3:15 p.m. when the Eagles host the University of Wisconsin-Parkside for Homecoming.  The Rangers took their record to 7-12 overall and 4-8 in the GLVC after losing at the University of Indianapolis, 87-67, tonight.