EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team concluded the 2017 Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic with an 88-75 victory over 24^th-ranked Kentucky Wesleyan College Saturday evening at the Ford Center. USI starts the 2017-18 campaign 1-1, while KWC ends the classic, 1-1.
 
The Screaming Eagles busted out of the gate to start the game, racing out to a 47-28 lead by the intermission. USI took command during the opening 20 minutes with a 20-8 run with 5:08 to play and would lead by as many as 21 points (47-26).
 
USI senior guard Marcellous Washington (Lexington, Indiana) paced the Eagles during the opening half with 10 points on three-of-four from the field and two-of-three from long range.
 
The Eagles would continue to cruise offensively in the second half. USI, whose lead would never fall below 13 points in the final 20 minutes, re-extended the margin to 21 points, 81-60, with four minutes to play before settling for the 88-75 victory.
 
USI freshman forward Emmanuel Little (Indianapolis, Indiana) led the Eagles with his first double-double of his career, 17 points and 10 rebounds. Little was seven-of-12 from the field and three-of-eight from the line, while grabbing four offensive and six defensive boards.
 
Washington, who was named to the SCB Hall of Fame Classic All-Tournament team, and freshman guard Mateo Rivera (Indianapolis, Indiana) followed Little in the scoring column with 16 points each, while senior forward DayJar Dickson (Washington, D.C.) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 13 points.
 
As a team, USI shot 50 percent from the field (31-62), 50.0 percent from downtown (9-16), and 76.2 percent from the charity stripe (16-21). The Eagles also outrebounded the Panthers 34-31.  
 
USI hits the road next week, beginning with an exhibition game at 7:30 p.m. Monday versus Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. The Eagles resume regular season action in the G-MAC/GLVC Challenge at Malone University in Canton, Ohio, taking on Hillsdale College November 10 at 5 p.m. (CST) and Malone University November 11 at 6 p.m. (CST).