USI completes homestand sweep
 
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SCORE: USI 75, UMSL 58

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana senior forward Taylor Wischmeier (Brownstown, Indiana) posted his second-straight double-double and tied a career-high in assists to lead the 22^nd-ranked Screaming Eagles to a 75-58 victory over the University of Missouri-St. Louis Saturday afternoon at the Physical Activities Center. USI rises to 19-4 overall and 11-4 in the GLVC, while UMSL falls to 13-10 overall, 7-8 GLVC.
 
Wischmeier recorded his second-straight and fourth double-double of the year with 17 points and 13 rebounds. He also tied a career-high with five assists to lead the Eagles.
 
The senior forward was red-hot in the first half, scoring 13 of his game-high 17 points on six-of-seven from the field and one-of-one from the charity stripe. He would only go two-of-five from the field in the second half, but would complete the double-double with six rebounds, five coming on the defensive end, and dishing four of his five assists.
 
USI had three other Eagles reach double figures in the victory. Senior forward Orlando Rutledge (Louisville, Kentucky) followed Wischmeier with 13 points, while senior center Chuck Jones (Madisonville, Kentucky) and senior guard Lawrence Thomas (Springfield, Illinois) rounded out our top scorers with 12 points and 10 points, respectively. Thomas also posted a season-best eight assists to lead the Eagles.
 
The Eagles rolled to complete the homestand sweep by using a late first half surge to take command and cruised through the second half to defeat the Tritons.
 
USI maintained a small lead through most of the first half when the Eagles used a 10-2 run to take its largest lead of the first half, 41-30, and took a nine-point lead into the locker room, 41-32, at the intermission.
 
The Eagles extended its lead in the second half to as many as 19 points five times, before settling for the 75-58 final score.
 
USI hits the road for its final regular season road trip of the season next week when it travels to fifth-ranked University of Indianapolis February 20 and to Saint Joseph's College February 22. The Eagles return to the friendly surroundings of the PAC February 27 when they host Bellarmine University for the season finale and Senior Night.