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SCORE: USI 70, Lewis 63
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The 14-ranked University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team celebrated homecoming with a 70-63 victory over Lewis University Saturday afternoon at the Physical Activities Center. USI rises to 19-4 overall and 11-4 in the GLVC, while Lewis goes to 14-9, 6-9 GLVC.
The victory keeps the Screaming Eagles in a three-way tie for second in the GLVC East Division, tied with Northern Kentucky University and seventh-ranked Kentucky Wesleyan College. Top-ranked and first-place Bellarmine University and fifth-place University of Indianapolis play this evening in Louisville, Kentucky.
USI also is one victory away from its third-straight 20-win season under Head Coach
Rodney Watson and its 18
th 20-win campaign in the last 20 seasons.
Win number 19, however, did not come easy for the Eagles as they had to hold on in the last three minutes to finish off the Flyers. Lewis rallied from a 12-point deficit and cut the USI lead to two points, 65-63, before junior guard
Kenyon Smith (Chicago, Illinois) sealed the victory with four straight free throws.
Senior forward Isaac got the last point for USI and the game as the Eagles finished with the 70-63 victory.
The first 16 minutes of the game were as tight as the last three as the squads dueled a 25-25 tie with 4:39 to play in the opening half. Smith and McClure combined for four-straight baskets in sparking a 12-2 run and gave USI a 37-27 halftime advantage.
The Flyers cut the Eagles' margin to six points in the opening minute of the second half before USI's offense kicked back into gear and re-extended the lead to as many as 15 points, 46-31, with 16:34 remaining. Senior guard
Brandon Hogg (Edwardsville, Illinois) led the Eagles during the run with five points.
USI's lead hovered around the 10-point zone before Lewis made its final run and set the stage for Smith's and McClure's trips to the charity stripe.
Individually, McClure led all scorers with a game-high 22 points. He hit seven-of-15 from the field, including his first two three-point field goals of the year, and six-of-eight from the charity stripe. Smith followed with his second double-double of the season, dropping in 14 points and grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds.
Hogg rounded out the double-figure scorers for the Eagles with 10 points and a game-high four assists.
USI concludes the 2011-12 home calendar and the three-game homestand Thursday when it hosts Bellarmine. The Eagles end the regular season with a two-game road swing at NKU February 18 and KWC February 23.
