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Score: UI Springfield 73, USI 71
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The 10
th-ranked University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team was outscored 10-2 in the final 2:30 as it was stunned by the University of Illinois Springfield, 73-71, Thursday evening in Springfield, Illinois. USI falls to 9-2 overall and 2-1 in the GLVC, while UI Springfield goes to 4-8, 2-2 GLVC.
The Screaming Eagles flew out of the gate to start the game as junior forward
Orlando Rutledge (Louisville, Kentucky) sank a three-point bomb for the first points of the game. USI would build on that three-pointer and posted its largest lead of the half, 11-4, three minutes into the contest.
The Eagles continued to lead for most of the first half, but the Prairie Stars outscored USI, 19-11, in the final 10 minutes to lead at halftime, 34-31.
The second half saw USI battle back into a lead they would hold for a majority of the final half. USI matched the seven-point first half lead twice in the final stanza, including the final time with 7:30 to play, 61-54.
USI seemed to withstand the challenges by UI Springfield and had a six-point lead with 2:30 left, 69-63, when the Prairie Stars made their final run to victory. UI Springfield was sparked by a pair of three-point field goals by senior guard Kyle Gupton with 1:45 and 1:37 left to tie the game 69-69. Gupton finished with a game-high 26 points, including six three-point field goals.
Prairie Stars freshman forward Dusko Despot gave UI Springfield the lead for good, 72-69, on a three-pointer with 16 ticks left on the clock. The Eagle cut the margin to one, 72-71, on a bucket by junior guard
Lawrence Thomas (Springfield, Illinois), but after a Prairie Stars added a free throw by sophomore Dylan Sparkman with 1.4 seconds that sealed the final score of 73-71.
Individually for the Eagles, Rutledge led three players in double-figures with 17 points. The junior forward scored 12 in the second half, including nine in a row. Thomas followed Rutledge with 13 points, while senior center
Keith DeWitt (High Point, North Carolina) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points. DeWitt also posted his second double-double of the year with 11 rebounds.
The Eagles conclude their two-game road swing Saturday when they visit Quincy University. Tip-off in Quincy, Illinois, is slated for 3:15 p.m. The Hawks saw their record go to 6-6 overall and 1-3 in the GLVC after losing to sixth-ranked Kentucky Wesleyan College, 77-69, at home this evening.
