The University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team will embark on one of its toughest road trips of the season when it travels to Northern Kentucky University and the University of Indianapolis this week.

The Screaming Eagles, 16-5 overall and 10-4 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, start the week with NKU in Highland Heights, Kentucky, Thursday, February 13. Game time Thursday is 6:45 p.m. (CT).

The Eagles are coming off of their first 1-1 week since the beginning of January after defeating the University of Illinois-Springfield Thursday evening (116-72) and losing to Kentucky Wesleyan College Saturday evening (89-84).

USI's senior forward Diond're Givens (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) and junior forward Clarence Chillers (Chicago, Illinois) led the way for the Eagles last week. Givens posted 20.0 ppg while Chillers averaged a double-double with 12.5 ppg and 10.5 rpg.

Givens continues to be the USI scoring leader in 2002-03 with 15.5 ppg. Junior forward Billy Harris (Carbondale, Illinois) remains the Eagles' best on the boards with 7.4 rpg.

The Norse have won their last five games since losing, 87-82, to the Eagles at the Physical Activities Center on January 18. NKU won its last two on the road, defeating Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (74-72) Thursday evening and Quincy University (70-66) Saturday afternoon.

NKU also has been in some close games during the winning streak, winning its last three by an average of 2.3 points.

Leading the Norse in the scoring column is senior guard Brenden Stowers with 16.0 ppg off the bench. Sophomore guard Mike Kelsey is second on the team with 14.1 ppg, while senior forward Quentin Smith is third with 13.5 ppg. Smith also is grabbing a team-leading 7.7 rpg.

The Eagles had four players scoring in double-figures back in January against the Norse, led by Givens with 21 points. USI sophomore guard Cris Brunson (Evansville, Indiana) was second with 17 points. The Norse were led by Stowers with a game-high 28 points and Kelsey with 20 points.

The Eagles lead the series, 33-14, and have won the last two with NKU. USI also has won seven of the last 12 games at Regents Hall since 1989-90.

The USI road trip will conclude Saturday, February 15, at the University of Indianapolis. Game time is 2 p.m. (CT). The Greyhounds have amassed a 15-6 overall record, 10-4 GLVC, since losing, 82-78, to Eagles back in December at the PAC.

Indianapolis, who will host the University of Missouri-St. Louis Thursday evening, split its games last week. The Greyhounds lost on the road to Lewis University (81-76), but won at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (78-70).

For the season, sophomore guard David Logan leads the way for the Greyhounds with 19.5 ppg. He is followed by junior forward Rodney Rollins with 14.8 ppg and junior center Jason Wright with 13.6 ppg. Wright also leads Indianapolis with 9.3 rpg.

In the first meeting back in December, Givens led four Eagles in double figures with 20 points. Brunson followed up with 17 points and senior guard David Ragland (Evansville, Indiana) dropped in 12 points. Logan led Indianapolis and all-scorers with 30 points, while Wright posted 21 points.

The Eagles lead the series with Indianapolis, 38-13, and have won the last eight meetings with the Greyhounds. USI also has won the last two road games with Indianapolis and is 6-4 since 1992-93 at Nicoson Hall.