Eagles fall to 14^th this week

Game Notes 
 
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The 14^th-ranked University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team hopes to use Homecoming Week to get back on track when it hosts the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Lewis University Saturday at 3:15 p.m.
 
The Screaming Eagles (17-4, 9-4 GLVC) returns to the friendly surroundings of the Physical Activities Center after splitting a pair of road games last week. USI started the week on a high note by defeating Saint Joseph's College,  67-59, but dropped the second half of the road trip at the University of Indianapolis, 65-59.
 
Sophomore guard Lawrence Thomas (Springfield, Illinois) sparked the USI victory at Saint Joseph's with a team-high 17 points, while senior guard Brandon Hogg (Edwardsville, Illinois) had a team-high 20 points in the loss to UIndy. Hogg remains the USI season leader and ranks seventh in the GLVC in scoring with 16.2 points per game.
 
After last week, USI falls to 14^th this week in the NABC/Division II Top 25 this week, dropping out of the top 10 for the first time since December. The GLVC East retained two teams in the top-10 of the national poll with Bellarmine and Kentucky Wesleyan College remaining at number one and seven, respectively.
 
In the conference, USI is in a three-way tie for third in the GLVC East Division, three games back of division-leading Bellarmine. KWC is second in the league, while USI, UIndy, and Northern Kentucky University are tied for third.
 
The Rangers of UW-Parkside (8-13, 1-12 GLVC) come to the PAC in the midst of a nine-game losing streak. USI leads the all-time series with UW-Parkside, 25-7, after coming back from a 17-point deficit to win the first half of the season-series in Somers, Wisconsin, 71-69, back in December. The Eagles also have won six of the last seven at the PAC.
 
The Flyers of Lewis (13-8, 5-8 GLVC) have lost their last two games, but are 2-2 in the last four. USI holds a 39-21 series lead over Lewis after defeating the Flyers in Romeoville, Illinois, 61-59, in December. The Eagles also have won eight of the last 10 with the Flyers at the PAC.
 
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, February 7, 2012 -- Poll #10)

  1. Bellarmine (Ky.) (8 first place votes)     (GLVC)
  2. West Liberty (W.Va.)
  3. Winona State (Minn.)
  4. Colorado School of Mines
  5. Tarleton State (Texas)
  6. Alabama-Huntsville
  7. Kentucky Wesleyan     (GLVC)
  8. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.)
  9. Midwestern State (Texas)
10. Christian Brothers (Tenn.)
11. Metropolitan State (Colo.)
12. Shaw (N.C.)
13. Indiana (Pa.)
14. Southern Indiana (GLVC)
15. Western Washington
16. Northern Kentucky
17. Alaska-Anchorage
18. Northwest Missouri State
19. Missouri Southern
20. South Carolina Aiken
21. Bowie State (Md.)
22. Indianapolis (Ind.)
23. Hillsdale (Mich.)
24. St. Cloud State (Minn.)
25. Central Missouri

Others receiving votes: Arkansas Tech, Montevallo (Ala.), West Georgia, Adelphi (N.Y.), District of Columbia, King (Tenn.), Seattle Pacific (Wash.), Franklin Pierce (N.H.), Anderson (S.C.), Dixie State (Utah).