LAS VEGAS, Nev. – University of Southern Indiana Men's Basketball outscored the University of Findlay, 50-30, in the second half and went on to post an 88-80 win to start the 2015-16 campaign Friday evening in D2 Vegas Showdown in Las Vegas, Nevada. USI starts the year 1-0 for the 30^th-straight season, while Findlay begins 2015-16, 0-1.
 
The Screaming Eagles got off to a rough star as the Oiler were lights out from beyond the three-point arc in the opening minutes and trailed 21-6 after three minutes were gone in the first half. USI would battle back into the contest and trailed by two points four times with five minutes left until halftime.
 
Findlay, however, responded with a 12-2 run in the final three minutes of the first half and led 50-38 at the intermission. USI shot 48.3 percent (14-29) in the opening half and was led by junior guard Bobo Drummond (Peoria, Illinois), junior guard Jeril Taylor (Louisville, Kentucky) and freshman guard Alex Stein (Evansville, Indiana) with seven points each in the opening half. The Oilers shot 51.4 percent (19-37) from the field, 7-14 from long range in the first 20 minutes.
 
In the second half, the Eagles methodically eliminated the deficit through the first 10 minutes. USI freshman forward Jacob Norman (Evansville, Indiana) capped off a 22-10 run with a lay-up to tie the game, 60-60, with 11:37 left in the contest. The Eagles would take their first lead of the game the next time down the floor, 62-60, on a pair of free throws by Stein.
 
After the Oilers managed to re-tie the score, 62-62, the Eagles went on a 7-0 run to take the lead for good. USI would push the lead to eight points twice, first with 7:58 to play, 72-64, and the second in the final score of 88-80.
 
The second half surge was led by senior forward George Edwards (Chicago, Illinois). Edwards scored 14 of his game-high 20 points on a blistering seven-of-eight from the field, while tying for the team-lead with nine rebounds in the contest.
 
Stein followed Edwards in the scoring column with 17 points in his season-opening debut, 10 points coming in the second half. The USI double-digits scorers were rounded out by Taylor and Drummond, who had 15 points and12 points, respectively. Taylor also tied Edwards for the team lead with nine rebounds.
 
USI, as a team, shot 57.9 percent from the field (33-57) in the season-opener, including a red hot 67.9 percent in the second half (19-28). The Eagles also won the battle on the boards, 39-30, and held a second half advantage, 21-12.
 
In addition to the increased offensive output, the Eagles stepped up on the defensive end of the court in the final half. USI held Findlay to just 38.2 percent from the field (13-34) in the second half, 18.2 percent (2-11) from beyond the three-point arc.

The Eagles conclude play in the D2 Vegas Showdown at 6 p.m. (CST) Saturday against the Lakers of Lake Superior State University. LSSU began its season with a win, 76-63, over the University of Illinois Springfield. USI and LSSU will be meeting for the first time in men's basketball on Saturday.