USI starts GLVC Tournament action Friday

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men's Basketball rose to seventh in the third NCAA Division II Midwest Region poll of 2017-18.

On top of the Midwest Region is third-ranked Ferris State University, a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and 14^th-ranked University of Findlay, a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The Great Lakes Valley Conference's and sixth-ranked Bellarmine University and the GLIAC's Lake Superior State University round out the top four teams at third and fourth, respectively.

Hillsdale College moved up one spot to fifth with Drury University jumping from seventh to sixth. USI followed up one spot to seventh in the third poll, while the University of Indianapolis rounded out the top eight.

Walsh University and Truman State University were in the final two spots at ninth and 10^th, respectively. The GLVC has five teams in the third poll, while the G-MAC and GLIAC have three and  two teams, respectively.

The top eight teams from the Midwest Region advance to the NCAA Division II Tournament at the end of the season. The regional is routinely hosted by the top seed in the regional.
 
USI will be the sixth seed and play third-seeded Drury University at 2:30 p.m. Friday in the opening round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Basketball Tournament at the Vadalabene Center on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in Edwardsville, Illinois.
 
The Screaming Eagles finished the 2017-18 regular season with a 20-10 overall record, 11-7 in the GLVC, placing third in the GLVC East Division, while Drury clinched a share of the GLVC West Division title with a 20-6 overall mark, 13-5 GLVC.
 
Prior to the USI-Drury match-up on Friday, the GLVC Tournament opening game will feature second-seeded Truman State University (18-9, 13-5 GLVC) versus seventh-seeded Lewis University (15-13, 10-8 GLVC) at noon. The second half of the quarterfinals has top-seeded Bellarmine University (25-2, 16-2 GLVC) taking on eighth-seeded William Jewell College (20-8, 10-8 GLVC) at 6 p.m. and fourth-seeded University of Indianapolis (18-8, 12-6 GLVC) facing fifth-seeded Maryville University (20-7, 12-6 GLVC) in the final game at 8:30 p.m.
 
Game coverage for all of USI's game action, including live stats, video stream, and audio broadcasts, is available at GoUSIEagles.com. The games also can be heard on ESPN 97.7 WREF and 95.7FM The Spin.
 
USI Men's Basketball Week 16 Notes:
 
GLVC FIRST ROUND: USI versus Drury Sixth-seeded USI is slated to play third-seeded Drury University in the opening round of the GLVC Tournament. The Screaming Eagles are 11-10 all-time versus the Panthers after falling on the road to Drury during the regular season, 71-61. Junior guard Alex Stein led the Eagles with 16 points, while senior forward Julius Rajala followed with a double-double, 12 points and 12 rebounds.

USI versus Drury in GLVC Tournament: USI has a 2-1 record against Drury in the GLVC Tournament. The Eagles defeated the Panthers 88-74 at Maryville University; lost to Drury in the 2013 GLVC title game at the Ford Center, 71-65; and won the 2014 GLVC semifinal game at the Ford Center, 75-57.

USI versus its half of the bracket. The Eagles are 5-2 all-time versus second-seeded Truman State after defeating the Bulldogs at home, 85-76, behind the 23-point performance of junior guard/forward Nate Hansen. Truman State defeated USI in the 2017 GLVC Tournament quarterfinals, 69-68.

USI is 46-25 all-time versus seventh-seeded Lewis University after defeating the Flyers, 84-75 in overtime and falling on the road, 73-52, in the regular season finale. The Eagles also are 4-0 versus Lewis in the GLVC Tournament posting wins in 2007, 2009, 2013, and 2014 league tournaments.

Stein and Little honored by GLVC. USI junior guard Alex Stein and freshman forward Emmanuel Little were honored by the GLVC with post-season honors. Stein was named first-team All-GLVC for the second season in a row, while Little became the first ever Eagle to be named to the All-Freshman team.

Stein named CoSIDA Academic All-District. Eagles' junior guard Alex Stein was named CoSIDA Academic All-District for the second-straight season. The only other Eagle to earn the award was Craig Martin in 1993.

Stein in the top five. USI junior guard Alex Stein, who was recognized on NCAA.com as one of the NCAA Division II's top six scorers, is in the Eagles' top-five all-time for scoring with 1,473 points. Stein is 89 points behind fourth-place Cris Brunson (1,562 points, 2001-05).