Eagles finish first road swing versus Ohio Valley
 
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team hits the road for the first time in 2014-15 when it plays in the Bellarmine Classic Friday and Saturday in Louisville, Kentucky. The Screaming Eagles open Bellarmine Classic action Friday versus third-ranked Florida Southern College and conclude the trip Saturday against Ohio Valley University. Tip-off for both of the neutral site games is 4 p.m. (CST).
 
Game coverage, including live stats and audio broadcasts, is available at gousieagles.com. The games also can be heard on WYFX 106.7FM and WPSR 90.7FM.
 
USI Men's Basketball Bellarmine Classic Notes:
 
Eagles in the polls. USI picked up national recognition with votes for the NABC/Division II Top 25 poll (Division II's official poll) the last two weeks and the D2SIDA Top 25 poll this week. The Eagles were absent from the first NABC/Division II regular season poll and have been ranked 167 of the last 193 Division II ranking weeks since 2000. USI also has been ranked 81 weeks in the top 10, including four weeks at number one the start of the new millennium.  

Eagles battle through to a pair of wins in Bill Joergens Classic. USI battled its way to a pair of wins in the Bill Joergens Memorial Classic, defeating Indiana University East, 86-74, and Cedarville University, 87-81. 

Edwards leads USI in classic. Junior forward George Edwards led the Eagles during the Bill Joergens Memorial Classic, averaging 18.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. He also shot 80 percent from the field (16-20). Sophomore guard Bobo Drummond followed with 16.0 points per contest, while senior guards TeNale Roland and Gavin Schumann rounded out the double-digit scorers with 14.5 points per outing each.

USI sets Bill Joergens Classic records. USI set Bill Joergens Memorial Classic records for free throws made (26 vs. Cedarville) and rebounds 51 (vs. Cedarville).

Schumann on top of USI scoring column. Senior guard Gavin Schumann is USI's top scorer in 2014-15 with 20.2 points per game, leading four players in double-figures. Junior forward George Edwards is second on the squad with 19.0 points per contest, while senior guard TeNale Roland and sophomore guard Bobo Drummond are posting 14.0 and 11.4 points per appearance, respectively.

Edwards off the bench to get boards. Junior forward George Edwards comes off the bench to lead the Eagles in rebounding with 9.4 boards per contest. Edwards started the year with four-straight double-doubles.

Non-conference foes have tough going against USI. USI opens the year 5-0 in non-conference games and is 190-21 (.900) against non-GLVC teams during the last 22 seasons. Of the 21 losses, two have come in the NCAA Division II Tournament Finals and three in the NCAA II Great Lakes Regional.   

Florida Southern in 2014-15. The third-ranked Florida Southern College Moccasins are 5-0 to start the 2014-15 campaign after defeating Palm Beach Atlantic University, 101-74, on December 5. For more on FSC, visit the Moccasins website.

USI vs. Florida Southern. Florida Southern leads the all-time series, 2-1, and won the only neutral site meeting in 1989, 78-76, on a last second shot in the Bahamas Invitational. The Eagles win over the Moccasin in 2008-09 was later vacated by the NCAA.

Ohio Valley in 2014-15. Ohio Valley is 0-5 to start the year and plays host Bellarmine University on Friday night before facing the USI on Saturday. For more on OVU, visit Fighting Scots website. 

USI vs. Ohio Valley. USI leads the all-time series with Ohio Valley, 4-0, after defeating the Fighting Scots, 98-66, last season in Bellarmine Classic

NABC/Division II Top 25 (Division II Official Poll)

Team (1st place votes)   1. West Liberty (W.Va.) (14)   2. Bellarmine (Ky.) (2)   3. Florida Southern   4. Central Missouri   5. Colorado-Colorado Springs   6. Tarleton State (Texas)   7. Metropolitan State (Colo.)   8. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.)   9. Barry (Fla.) 10. Southern Connecticut State 11. Minnesota State 12. Indianapolis (Ind.)

13. Drury (Mo.) 14. Minnesota State-Moorhead 15. Mount Olive (N.C.) 16. BYU-Hawaii 17. California Baptist 18. Augustana (S.D.) 19. Colorado School of Mines 20. Christian Brothers (Tenn.) 21. Newberry (S.C.) 22. Alabama-Huntsville 23. Indiana (Pa.) 24. Azuza Pacific (Calif.) 25. GRU Augusta

Others receiving votes: St. Edward's (Texas), Angelo State (Texas), Lewis (Ill.), Southern Indiana, LeMoyne (N.Y.), Sonoma State (Calif.), Wisconsin-Parkside, Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.), West Georgia, Winston-Salem State (N.C.), Alderson-Broaddus (W.Va.), Lake Superior State (Mich.), Findlay (Ohio), Texas A&M-Commerce, Central Oklahoma, Lander (S.C.), UC San Diego, Cal Poly Pomona, Fort Lewis (Colo.), Northwest Missouri State, Saint Anselm (N.H.), Western Oregon.

D2SIDA Top 25

Team (1st place votes)   1. West Liberty (W.Va.) (8)   2. Florida Southern (4)   3. Bellarmine (Ky.)   4. Central Missouri (2) T5. Metropolitan State (Colo.) T5. Tarleton State (Texas)   7. Southern Connecticut State   8. Minnesota State-Moorhead   9. Mount Olive (N.C.) 10. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) 11.  Barry (Fla.) 12. BYU-Hawaii

13. Minnesota State   14. Indianapolis (Ind.) T15. Azusa Pacific (Calif.) T15. Colorado-Colorado Springs   17. Christian Brothers (Tenn.)   18. Newberry (S.C.)   19. LeMoyne (N.Y.)   20. California Baptist   21. Missouri-St. Louis   22. Augustana (S.D.)   23. Colorado School of Mines   24. Saint Anselm (N.H.)   25. Glenville State (W.Va.)

Others receiving votes:  Lander (S.C.), Indiana (Pa.), Lynn (Fla.), Drury (Mo.), Lewis (Ill.), Texas A&M-Commerce, Northern State (S.D.), Lake Superior State (Mich.), Angelo State (Texas), Western Oregon, Southern Indiana, GRU Augusta 1, Cal Poly Pomona.