USI back on track with 51-point win
 
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Score: USI 118, UC Clermont 67

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The seventh-ranked University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team reached the century mark for the second time this year as it defeated the University of Cincinnati Clermont, 118-67, on the final day of the Fern Valley Hotel Classic in Louisville, Kentucky. The classic is hosted by fifth-ranked Bellarmine University.
 
USI rises to 6-1 overall, while UC Clermont goes to 4-12.
 
The Screaming Eagles flew out of the gate in the first half and built an early 11-point lead, 13-2. The Cougars, however, went on a 14-3 run of their own and tied the game at 16-16 with 12:34 left in the half.
 
The USI bench brought the Eagles back to life, scoring 27 first half points, as they started to run away from the Cougars. By time the first half ended, the Eagles were up by 26 points, 60-34.  
 
USI senior guard Melvyn Little (Louisville, Kentucky) led the Eagles' bench attack with eight points, six coming on a pair of three-point field goals. Senior guard Travis Jones (Carmi, Illinois) followed Little off the bench with seven points, including two three-pointers, while junior guard Ben Jones (Robinson, Illinois) had five points with one bucket from long range.
 
As a team in the opening half, the Eagles shot 66.7 percent overall (22-33) and 63.6 percent from long range (7-11). Junior forward Orlando Rutledge (Louisville, Kentucky) led the Eagles in scoring during the first half with 11 points.
 
In the second half, the Eagles continued to dominate and extended the lead to as many as 51 points by the end of the game for the 118-67 final. The USI bench ended the game outscoring UCC's 65-27 as every Eagle on the roster scored.
 
The 51-point win is second largest margin of victory in the last four years, behind the 65-point win over Maryville University (153-88) in 2009-10. USI's largest margin of victory was 75 points (111-36) over Manchester College in 1986-87.
 
The Eagles had seven players reach double-digits in scoring, led by Rutledge for the third-straight game with 19 points. Junior forward Aaron Nelson (Chicago Heights, Illinois) followed with 15 points, while junior forward Manny Ogunfolu (Rockville, Maryland) had a season-high 12 points.
 
Ben Jones was the fourth Eagle to reach double-digits with career-high tying 11 points, while senior center Keith DeWitt (High Point, North Carolina), Travis Jones, junior forward Taylor Wischmeier (Brownstown, Indiana) rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points each.
 
The next action for the Eagles is an exhibition contest at the friendly surroundings of the Physical Activities Center when they host Harris-Stowe State University at 11 a.m. December 19.  USI resumes regular season action after Christmas when it hosts Cedarville University at 3:15 p.m. December 29.
 
The USI-Cedarville contest starts a three-game homestand for the Eagles.