USI Game Notes for Bellarmine Classic
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The ninth-ranked University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team hits the road for a pair of neutral site, non-conference games in the Bellarmine University Classic Friday and Saturday in Louisville, Kentucky. USI is slated to tip-off at 4 p.m. Friday against Ohio Valley University (1-9) and Saturday versus Virginia Union University (1-5).
The Screaming Eagles (5-0) are coming off a strong 92-69 victory over Kentucky State University last Saturday. USI lead by as many as 25 points during the win as it cruised to its fifth-straight win to start the season. The USI men's basketball program has opened the season with five-straight wins the last five seasons and 14 times in the last 22 years.
The victory over Kentucky State also propelled the Eagles in the national poll, moving up two spots to ninth in the NABC/Division II Top 25 poll. The top 10 ranking is the first of the season for the Eagles.
Game coverage of the Bellarmine University Classic, including live stats, video, and audio links, is available at gousieagles.com. The games, involving USI, also can be heard on ESPN 106.7FM and WPSR 90.7FM.
USI Men's Basketball Notes for the Bellarmine Classic:
Watson wins 100th game. Rodney Watson became the fourth University of Southern Indiana men's basketball head coach to win 100 games with a victory on Saturday. He also ranks fourth all-time in victories.
Eagles are ninth in the top 25. USI rose to ninth in the fourth NABC/Division II poll of 2013-14. The Screaming Eagles have been ranked 147 of the last 179 Division II ranking weeks since 2000, including 77 weeks in the top 10 and four weeks at number one.
Last time in the top 10. The last time USI was in the top-10 nationally was last season when the Eagles were 10
th in the February 5 poll.
Nelson's record-breaking game leads Eagles to win. USI senior forward
Aaron Nelson led the Eagles to a 92-69 victory over Kentucky State University. Nelson tied a career-high 31 points, while grabbing a GLVC & USI record 27 rebounds.
Nelson named GLVC Player of the Week. Senior forward
Aaron Nelson was named the GLVC Player of the Week for his efforts against Kentucky State. Nelson has earned a pair of Player of the Week awards this year and has earned the award three times in his career.
Additional season-highs. Junior forward
Alex Marzette and senior guard
Lawrence Thomas posted season-highs with 18 points and 17 points respectively.
Eagles dominated the boards vs. KSU. USI dominated the battle of the boards with a 51-28 rebound margin versus Kentucky State.
Non-conference foes have tough going against USI. USI has started the year with a five of non-conference wins and is 182-20 (.901) against non-GLVC teams during the last 21 seasons. Of the 20 losses, two have come in the NCAA Division II Tournament Finals and three in the NCAA II Great Lakes Regional.
USI searching for fourth-straight win over Ohio Valley. The Eagles will be looking for its fourth-straight win over Ohio Valley University on the first day of the Bellarmine University Classic. USI moved the all-time record to 3-0 after defeating Ohio Valley, 90-64, in last year's classic in Louisville.
Eagles looking for first win over Virginia Union. USI is looking for its first win over Virginia Union University Saturday in the Bellarmine University Classic. Virginia Union won the only meeting between the two programs in 1989, 88-85, in USI's National Shootout at Roberts Stadium.
Last year's leaders in the Bellarmine Classic. The Eagles were 1-1 last year in the Bellarmine Classic, losing to Nova Southeastern University, 77-76, and defeating the University of Cincinnati Clermont, 118-76. USI was led by senior forward
Orlando Rutledge, who averaged 23.0 points per game, and senior forward
Aaron Nelson, who averaged 14.5 points per contest.
USI in the Bellarmine Classic. The Eagles are 7-1 in the four years of the Bellarmine Classic, which was originally titled the Fern Valley Hotel Classic.
NABC/Division II Rankings
(Dec. 10, 2013) |
|
1. |
West Liberty |
7-0 |
|
2. |
Bellarmine |
4-0 |
|
3. |
Drury |
7-0 |
|
4. |
Florida Southern |
9-0 |
|
5. |
Western Washington |
6-0 |
|
6. |
Metropolitan State |
4-1 |
|
7. |
Indiana (Pa.) |
7-0 |
|
8. |
Dixie State |
6-0 |
|
9. |
Southern Indiana |
5-0 |
|
10. |
Montevallo |
7-0 |
|
11. |
Tarleton State |
7-0 |
|
12. |
East Stroudsburg |
8-0 |
|
13. |
Livingstone |
5-0 |
|
14. |
Seattle Pacific |
9-2 |
|
15. |
Findlay |
4-1 |
|
16. |
Arkansas-Fort Smith |
6-0 |
|
17. |
Minnesota State |
8-2 |
|
18. |
Colo. School of Mines |
6-0 |
|
19. |
Midwestern State |
6-2 |
|
20. |
Lincoln Memorial |
6-1 |
|
21. |
Georgia Southwestern |
9-0 |
|
22. |
UNC-Pembroke |
7-0 |
|
23. |
Indianapolis |
6-0 |
|
24. |
Franklin Pierce |
10-1 |
|
25. |
North Alabama |
6-2 |
