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SCORE: USI 90, Lake Erie 89
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana senior guard Lawrence Thomas (Springfield, Illinois) hit a three-point bomb with one second left on the clock to give the 17th-ranked Screaming Eagles a 90-89 victory over Lake Erie College Saturday afternoon at the Physical Activities Center. USI rises to 2-0 to begin the season and wins its 30th-straight home opener, while Lake Erie falls to 3-2 to start the year.
Thomas' bucket capped off the Eagles' 22-8 run in the final six minutes to erase a 13-point deficit. The scene was set for the final shot when Lake Erie guard Andy Bosley stepped out of bounds with four seconds remaining after USI senior guard Ben Jones (Robinson, Illinois) hit a pair of free throws to narrow the deficit to two points, 89-87.
The Eagles were led in the comeback run by USI senior forward/center Aaron Nelson (Chicago Heights, Illinois) who scored 10 of his game-high 31 points during the run. Nelson, who posted his second-straight double-double with 11 rebounds, was a blistering 75 percent (12-16) from outside and seven-of-12 from the stripe.
In the first half, the Eagles controlled the game. USI trailed only once – Lake Erie sank the opening bucket – and had a lead of 10-points twice before settling for the nine-point advantage at halftime, 46-37.
USI expanded its margin to as many as 15 points twice in the opening four minutes of the second half and seemed to have total command of the game. Lake Erie, however, rallied with a 21-8 run and built a 13-point margin, 81-68, with 5:39 to play when the Eagles began their run to victory.
Overall, USI shot 52.4 percent field (33-63) and 65.6 percent from the line (21-32), while out rebounding Lake Erie, 42-30. The Storm was able to stay in the game and build a lead by hitting 13 three-point field goals to the Eagles' three.
In addition to Nelson, the Eagles got double-double performances from senior forward Taylor Wischmeier (Brownstown, Indiana) and senior forward Manny Ogunfolu (Rockville, Maryland). Wischmeier posted his second-straight double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Ogunfolu had 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
The double-figure scorers were rounded out by Thomas, who scored five of his 12 points, including the game winner, in the final minute, and junior guard Gavin Schumann (Cincinnati, Ohio), who had 10 points and a team-high four assists.
USI continues the four-game homestand November 29-30 when it hosts the Bill Joergens Memorial Classic. The classic features USI, third-ranked Bellarmine University, King University, and Indiana University Southeast. Game times on November 29-30 are 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
