USI wins 28^th-straight season opener

FINAL SCORE: #17 USI 70, KWC 60
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OWENSBORO, Ky. – The 17^th-ranked University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team started the regular season on a positive note for the 28^th-straight time in a 70-61 victory over Kentucky Wesleyan College Tuesday evening in Owensboro, Kentucky. USI starts the year, 1-0, while KWC goes to 1-3 to begin 2013-14.

The Screaming Eagles overcame 11 first half turnovers and held a 30-25 lead at the intermission. USI senior forward Taylor Wischmeier (Brownstown, Indiana) provided the offense in the opening half with 12 points, going five-for-five from the field and a perfect two-of-two from the charity stripe.

USI, as a team in the first half, was 11-of-19 from the outside, including four long range bombs. The Eagles also connected on all four of their free throws in the opening half.

In the second half, USI used a 12-3 run to take control and posted its biggest lead of the game, 12 point, 40-28. The Eagles would lead by 12 points three times early in the second half before the Panthers made a run to get back into the game.

KWC cut the 12-point margin to just two points, 46-44, with a 10-0 run with 8:29 remaining. USI took back the momentum with a 16-7 run and pushed the margin back to 11 points, 62-51, with 1:35 left.

The Eagles would match its largest lead of 12 points twice more before settling for the 70-61 victory.

As a team, USI shot 57.1 percent from the field (24-42), connecting on seven-of-16 from beyond the arc. The Eagles converted 62.5 percent from the charity stripe in the game, but was only 11-of-20 in the final half.

Wischmeier finished the game with a season-opening double-double, 16 points and 10 rebounds, to lead the team. The senior was a perfect seven-for-seven from the field and missed one free throw, going two-for-three.

Senior guard Lawrence Thomas (Springfield, Illinois) and senior forward Aaron Nelson (Chicago Heights, Illinois) rounded out the USI double-figure scoring with 15 points and 11 points, respectively. Thomas scored 12 of the 15 points in the second half, while Nelson also posted a season-opening double-double with a team-best 11 rebounds.

The Eagles open the 2013-14 home schedule Saturday when they host Lake Erie College at the Physical Activities Center. Tip-off Saturday is set for 1 p.m.