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Score: USI 71, UWP 69

SOMERS, Wis. – University of Southern Indiana senior guard Brandon Hogg (Edwardsville, Illinois) hit a three-point field goal with 23 seconds remaining and made a last second steal to lift the fifth-ranked Screaming Eagles to a 71-69 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Saturday afternoon in Somers, Wisconsin. USI rises to 6-0 overall and 2-0 GLVC, while the UW-Parkside falls to 4-3, 0-2 GLVC.
 
The Rangers dominated the first 10 minutes of the game, building a 17-point advantage, 24-7. The Screaming Eagles rallied in the final 10 minutes of the first half and cut the deficit to three points, 34-31, with two minutes remaining before the intermission. UW-Parkside picked up the final bucket of the first 20 minutes and led at halftime, 36-31.
 
USI struggled from the field in the first 10 minutes, hitting only 20 percent of its shots (3-15). The Eagles improved the final 10 minutes of the opening half, dropping in 52.6 percent of their shots (10-19) to close the gap.
 
In the second half, the Eagles continued to battle back and tied the score for the first time, 44-44, with 14:14 remaining. The Rangers regained the advantage briefly before the Eagles took their first lead of the game, 52-51, with 11:20 to play on a lay-up by junior guard Melvyn Little (Louisville, Kentucky).
 
USI used the momentum from its first lead to increase the advantage to six points, 61-55, with 6:50 left when UW-Parkside started its own comeback to take the lead in the final minute. The Rangers retook the lead, 69-68, with 43 seconds left, setting the stage for Hogg's last minute heroics.
 
Hogg led the Eagles in scoring with a game-high 23 points, while sophomore guard Lawrence Thomas (Springfield, Illinois) was the only other USI player in double-figures with 14 points. Junior guard Keynon Smith (Chicago, Illinois) also had a team-high five assists and four steals in the win, while senior forward Romaric Lasme (Port-Gentil, Gabon) had a game-high seven rebounds.
 
The Eagles complete the four-game road swing in the Fern Valley Hotel Classic December 9-10 in Louisville, Kentucky. The classic, which is hosted by Bellarmine University, features USI versus St. Catherine College December 9 and against Ohio Valley College December 10. Both contests are scheduled for 4 p.m. (CST) tip offs.