USI breaks three-game road losing streak
 
Final Score: USI 96, QU 69
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KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The 15^th-ranked University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team drained a season-high 11 three-point field goals on its way to defeating Quincy University, 96-69, Saturday afternoon in Quincy, Illinois. USI rises to 17-4 overall and 9-4 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, while Quincy goes to 8-15, 3-10 GLVC.
 
The victory also breaks USI's three-game road losing streak dating back to January. USI also remains three-games back of GLVC East Division leading University of Wisconsin-Parkside with five games to play in the regular season.
 
The Screaming Eagles opened the game with a three-point barrage that built a 26-point lead by halftime, 47-21. USI was a blistering eight-of-13 from three-point range during the opening half as senior forward Orlando Rutledge (Louisville, Kentucky) and senior guard Lawrence Thomas (Springfield, Illinois) sank three bombs each to lead the way. USI junior guard Alex Marzette (Racine, Wisconsin) came off the bench to get the final two from long range, getting the final two USI buckets before halftime.
 
Rutledge got the Eagle offense going in the first half, scoring 15 of the first 17 USI points and draining his first three three-point shots. He finished the half with a team-high 19 points.
 
The Eagles' hot shooting, combined with a tough defense, allowed them to pull away from the Hawks midway through the first half. USI held Quincy without a field goal for over six minutes as it went on a 14-1 run to lead 33-13 with 5:29 left before the intermission. Marzette's three-point field goals in the final minute of the half led the 14-8 run halftime and the 26 point lead.
 
The Hawk were not about to go quietly as they flew out of the locker room to start the second half. Quincy connected on four-of-five three-point field goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half as it cut USI's 26-point lead to 11 points, 61-50, with 10:40 to play. This would be as close as the Hawks would come the rest of the game.
 
USI regained its composure and put together an 8-0 run to re-extend the margin to 19 points, 69-50. Senior center Aaron Nelson (Chicago Heights, Illinois) led the run with two buckets, while senior center Chuck Jones (Madisonville, Kentucky) and junior guard Gavin Schumann (Cincinnati, Ohio) capped off the run with a basket each.
 
 The Eagles would eventually push the lead to as many as 31 points, 94-63, with 2:31 remaining on a lay-up by senior forward Manny Ogunfolu (Rockville, Maryland) before settling for the 96-69 final score.
 
Individually, Rutledge led five Eagles in double-figures with 26 points. He was 10-of-14 from the field, three-of-six from long range, and three from the line. The senior forward also had a career-high four steals.
 
Nelson followed Rutledge in the scoring column with 17 points, 13 coming in the second half. He fells two rebounds short of his school record 19 double-doubles with a game-high eight boards.
 
Thomas and Schuman dropped in 14 points each, while Marzette rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points. Schumann, who had 10 points in the second half, also dished out seven assists.
 
As a team, the Eagles won the rebounding battle for the 34^th-straight game with a 40-38 advantage on the glass. USI also finished the game with a good afternoon shooting, hitting 52.8 percent from the field (38-72), 57.9 percent from long range (11-19), and 81.8 percent from the line (9-11).
 
USI returns to the friendly surroundings of the Physical Activities Center next week when it hosts Maryville University February 13 and the University of Missouri-St. Louis February 15. The USI-Maryville match-up on February 13 is Veterans Appreciation Day, while the USI-UMSL contest February 15 is Homecoming for the Eagles