Game Notes 
 
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The second-ranked University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team begins the 2012 calendar year in Great Lakes Valley Conference play when it hosts Missouri University of Science and Technology Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Drury University Saturday at 3:15 p.m. The two contests also wrap up USI's four-game homestand.
 
The Screaming Eagles (10-0, 2-0 GLVC) are flying high through the first half of the season, starting a season with 10-straight wins for the sixth time in the history of the program. All six 10-0 starts have come since 1997-98.
 
The Eagles are second nationally in the NABC/Division II Top 25 poll for the third week in a row. This is the highest ranking for the men's basketball team since the 2009-10 season. The GLVC East Division's Kentucky Wesleyan College followed USI in the rankings at number four, while Bellarmine University and Northern Kentucky University were fifth and 11^th, respectively.
 
USI concluded 2011 with a 27-point win over Harris-Stowe State University, 73-46. USI senior forward Isaac McClure (Paducah, Kentucky) and senior guard Brandon Hogg (Edwardsville, Illinois) combined for 30 of the 73 points with 15 points each.
 
For the season, Hogg leads the Eagles and is tied for fifth in the GLVC with 19.6 points per game. The 19.6 points per contest is 14.0 points better than Hogg's career average.
 
McClure has made an impact in his first two appearances of the season after missing the first eight games. The senior has averaged 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in the wins over Cedarville University and HSSU. He also recorded his second career double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds against HSSU.
 
Missouri S&T (1-10, 0-3 GLVC) is going to be in action for the first time since December 19 when it visits the PAC on Thursday. The Miners are in the midst of a six-game losing streak, including three conference losses at home.
 
USI leads the all-time series with Missouri S&T, 11-2, including the 20-point, 76-56, victory last year at the PAC. The Eagles have won 10-straight from the Miners since 2000, four coming at home.
 
Drury (8-3, 2-1 GLVC), who plays at KWC Thursday night before coming to Evansville, has won five-straight games. The Panthers started GLVC play in 2011-12 with a loss to the University of Missouri-St. Louis before posting wins over Maryville University and Missouri S&T to start their winning streak.
 
USI holds an 8-5 advantage in the all-time series with Drury and has won three of five from the Panthers at the PAC since 2000. The Eagles took the first two meetings last year, 75-65 at the PAC and 88-74 in the GLVC Tournament, but the Panthers got USI, 65-64, in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
 
Game coverage for both contests, including live stats and audio broadcasts, is available at gousieagles.com. The games also can be heard on ESPN 106.7FM and WPSR 90.7FM.
NABC/Division II Men's Basketball Poll
(Tuesday, January 3, 2012 -- Poll #5)
 
  1. Metropolitan State, Colo. (5 first place votes)
  2. Southern Indiana (1 first place vote)
  3. Lincoln Memorial, Tenn. (1 first place vote)
  4. Kentucky Wesleyan (1 first place vote)
  5. Bellarmine, Ky.
  6. Cal Poly Pomona
  7. West Liberty, W.Va.
  8. Fort Hays State, Kan.
  9. Tarleton State, Texas
10. Winona State, Minn.
11. Northern Kentucky
12. Colorado School of Mines
13. Alabama-Huntsville
14. Missouri Southern
15. Bowie State, Md.
16. Midwestern State, Texas
17. Findlay, Ohio
18. Alaska-Anchorage
19. Minnesota State-Moorhead
20. Indiana, Pa.
21. Augustana, S.D.
22. Arkansas Tech
23. Western Washington
24. Benedict, S..C.
25. West Georgia
 

Others receiving votes: Georgia Southwestern, Southwestern Oklahoma State, Christian Brothers (Tenn.), layton State (Ga.), Bentley (Mass.), Hillsdale (Mich.), Montevallo (Ala.), St. Cloud State (Minn.), Northwest Missouri State, Humboldt State (Calif.), Western Oregon, Franklin Pierce (N.H.), West Texas A&M.