USI starts final homestand Saturday
USI Game Notes;
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The 16
th-ranked University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team concludes the toughest road trip of the year when it visits 15
th-ranked Bellarmine University at 7 p.m. (CST) Thursday. The Screaming Eagles return to the Physical Activities Center Saturday to start their final regular season homestand of 2012-13 when they welcome McKendree University for a 3:15 p.m. match-up.
USI also celebrates “Heart Day at USI” Saturday when it hosts McKendree. The Eagles, who will be wearing their road-red uniforms, are encouraging their fans to also wear red to promote heart health awareness.
Through the first two games of the road, the Eagles are a perfect 2-0 after a dominating 87-62 win over 12
th-ranked University of Indianapolis and a 73-58 comeback victory at Saint Joseph's College. USI was led by junior forward
Orlando Rutledge (Louisville, Kentucky), who averaged 23.0 points per contest, and senior center
Keith DeWitt (High Point, North Carolina), who was named the GLVC Player of the Week after averaging 20.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per outing.
Rutledge is the team-leader with 15.5 points per game for the season, while DeWitt is second with 13.7 points and a team-best 9.1 rebounds per game. Junior forward
Taylor Wischmeier (Brownstown, Indiana) and junior guard
Lawrence Thomas (Springfield, Illinois) round out the double-digit scorers with 10.8 points and 10.2 points per contest, respectively.
USI (18-5, 11-4 GLVC) enters the final game of the road trip in second place in the GLVC East Division, two-games behind first place University of Wisconsin-Parkside and a game ahead of third place Bellarmine. The Eagles, currently, would be the third seed in the GLVC Tournament, trailing UW-Parkside and Drury University, which are tied first; and a game ahead of Bellarmine and Maryville University, which are tied for the fourth slot. The top four seeds in the GLVC Tournament receive a first round bye.
In the national rankings, USI rose seventh spots to 16
th in the NABC/Division II Top 25 poll. Drury University and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside climbed to 11
th and 13
th, respectively, while Bellarmine fell to 15
th.
The Knights of Bellarmine (18-5, 10-5 GLVC) are 3-2 in the GLVC since playing USI January 31. Bellarmine has wins over Kentucky Wesleyan College, Lewis University, and Saint Joseph's since falling to the Eagles at the PAC, 62-49, in the first meeting in January, The Eagles lead the all-time series, 46-32, with the teams tied, 6-6, when playing at Knights Hall since 2000.
The Bearcats of McKendree (7-18, 1-14 GLVC) have lost 13 in a row, including the loss to USI, 78-68, and dating back to January 10. The first meeting victory was the first-ever in the history of the USI programs in Lebanon, Illinois. The Eagles lead the all-time series, 7-2, and are looking to sweep the Bearcats for the first time.
Coverage of the Eagles' GLVC games, including live stats and audio/video broadcasts, is available at gousieagles.com. The USI action also can be heard on ESPN 106.7FM and WPSR 90.7FM.
The regular season finale is February 28 when the Eagles host Kentucky Wesleyan College for the final GLVC match-up between the two programs. USI also will celebrate Senior Night prior to the 7:30 p.m. contest.
NABC/Division II Top 25
1. Metropolitan State
2. Western Washington
3. West Liberty
4. Cal Poly Pomona
5. Seattle Pacific
6. Florida Southern
7. Winston-Salem State
8. Alabama-Huntsville
9. Minnesota State
10. East Stroudsburg
11. Drury
(GLVC)
12. Saint Anselm
13. Wisconsin-Parkside
(GLVC)
14. Indiana
15. Bellarmine
(GLVC)
16. Southern Indiana (GLVC)
17. Fort Lewis
18. Winona State
19. Lincoln Memorial
20. Saint Leo
21. Newman
22. St. Cloud State
23. Franklin Pierce
24. Gannon
25. Dixie State
Others receiving votes: Carson-Newman, Benedict, Fairmont State, Wingate, North Alabama, Michigan Tech, Indianapolis
(GLVC), Augustana, Barton, Dominican, Assumption, Grand Canyon, Kentucky Wesleyan
(GLVC), Wayne State.
