Eagles are 17^th in the latest poll
 
USI Game Notes; Tweet #usimbb

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team concludes the 2012 calendar year by hosting an exhibition game, Wednesday December 19 against Harris-Stowe State University and a region contest December 29 against Cedarville University. Tip-off for Wednesday's exhibition game is 11 a.m., while the start time December 29 versus Cedarville is 3:15 p.m.  
 
Coverage, including live stats and audio/video broadcasts, is available at gousieagles.com. The USI action also can be heard on ESPN 106.7FM and WPSR 90.7FM.
 
The Screaming Eagles (6-1) start the final stretch of 2012 after splitting their two games in the Fern Valley Hotel Classic. USI lost its classic opener on a last second tip-in, 77-76, to Nova Southeastern University, but bounced back to win, 118-67, against the University of Cincinnati Clermont.
 
The Eagles were led in the Fern Valley Hotel Classic by junior forward Orlando Rutledge (Louisville, Kentucky), who averaged 23.0 points per game, and junior forward Aaron Nelson (Chicago Heights, Illinois), who posted 14.5 points per contest. Rutledge also leads the USI scorers through the first seven contests with 16.0 points per game.
 
USI's first-round loss in the Fern Valley Hotel Classic cost the Eagles 10 spots in the NABC/Division II Top 25, falling to 17^th in the latest poll. The GLVC also was represented in the final poll of 2012 by Bellarmine University (fourth); Kentucky Wesleyan College (ninth); the University of Indianapolis (11^th); and Drury University (14^th).
 
The Hornets of HSSU (1-10) is the Eagles' opponent in USI's first-ever mid-season exhibition game. HSSU enters the exhibition game looking for answers after losing its last nine contests.
 
Wednesday's contest is the first exhibition game between the USI and HSSU. The Eagles own the all-time regular season series with the Hornets, 6-0.
 
The Yellow Jackets of Cedarville (7-5) has been on a roll in December and will visit USI in the midst of a five-game winning streak. The winning streak includes wins over Chaminade University, who defeated the University of Texas earlier this year, and Brigham Young University-Hawaii, which was the 2011 NCAA Division II national finalist.
 
USI won the first meeting between the two programs last year, 74-45. Eagles sophomore guard/forward Austin Davis (Freeport, Illinois) had 13 points in the win, following the 20-point performance by Isaac McClure and the 14-point performance by Brandon Hogg.
 
NABC/Division II Top 25
  1.  West Liberty
  2.  Metropolitan State
  3.  Alabama-Huntsville
  4.  Bellarmine (GLVC)
  5.  Western Washington
  6.  Cal Poly Pomona
  7.  Seattle Pacific
  8.  Washburn
  9.  Kentucky Wesleyan (GLVC)
10. Franklin Pierce
11. Indianapolis (GLVC)
12. Augusta State
13. Assumption
14. Drury
15. Barton
16. Indiana
17. Southern Indiana (GLVC)
18. Newman
19. St. Cloud State
20. Lincoln Memorial
21. Minnesota State
22. Tampa
23. Winston-Salem State
24. Findlay
25. Alaska-Anchorage

Others receiving votes:  Adams State, Florida Southern, Cal State-San Bernardino, West Texas A&M, Fort Lewis, Grand Canyon, Michigan Tech, Northwest Missouri State, North Alabama, Augustana, Harding, Minnesota State-Moorhead, Shepherd, Rollins, Winona State.