EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men's Basketball freshman guard Isaiah Swope (Newburgh, Indiana) scored 11 points in the final four minutes to lead the Screaming Eagles to a 65-58 victory over Maryville University Thursday evening at Screaming Eagles Arena. USI goes to 15-6 overall and 10-5 in the GLVC, while Maryville is 10-14 overall, 4-12 in the league.
 
The Screaming Eagles kicked off the first half with their offense nearly stuck in neutral. Maryville held USI to 26.7 percent (4-15) from the field in the first 11 minutes as the Saint built a 24-11 advantage.
 
The USI shooters exploded on a 17-5 run in the final nine minutes of the first half to go into the lock room down one, 29-28. The Eagles, briefly, recaptured the lead, 28-27, but the Saints converted the last bucket of the half with a flip in shot with 0.5 left on the clock to get the lead back at halftime.
 
The Eagles finished the half 38.5 percent from the field (10-26) (54.4 percent (6-11) during the run) as eight of the nine players had a bucket in the first 20 minutes.
 
USI start the second half off with a bang, surging with a 19-8 run to take command of the contest, 47-37, with 11:30 to play. Junior guard Jelani Simmons (Columbus, Ohio) led the run with his first 11 points of the game as the Eagles shot 50 percent during the dash (6-12). On the defensive end, the Eagles held the Saints to only two of their first nine shots of the second half.
 
Maryville, however, was not about to let USI put the lid on an easy victory. The Saint rallied back with a 14-4 run to knot the game up, 51-51, with 4:34 on the clock and set the stage for Swope.
 
Swope owned the last four minutes of the contest, scoring 11-straight points and 11 of the final 14 USI points to seal the 65-58 victory
 
In a reversal of the opening half, USI shot 52.2 percent from the field (12-23) in the final 20 minutes, while holding Maryville to 26.9 percent (7-26) from the outside. The Eagles also won the battle of the boards, 42-28.
 
In the scoring column, Swope led three Eagles in double-digits with 18 points for the contest. He finished 8-of-14 from the field, including a pair of three-pointers.
 
Simmons followed with 13 points, all in the second half. The junior guard was three-of-four from the field with a three-pointer and six-of-six from the stripe. USI sophomore guard Tyler Henry (Brooklyn, New York) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 points on three field goals and six free throws.
 
 
COMING UP FOR USI:
USI concludes the homestand Saturday when it hosts Missouri University of Science & Technology at 3:15 p.m. The Miners watched its record go to 10-14 overall, 6-11 GLVC, after a falling at the University of Indianapolis, 80-50. The Miners have lost five of the last six with tonight's loss.
 
The Eagles also hold an 18-3 series lead over the Miners of Missouri S&T. USI, which has won the last seven with the Miners, did not play Missouri S&T during 2020-21 due to COVID. The last match-up in 2019-20 went to the Eagles, 89-66, in Rolla, Missouri.
 
Following this week's action, USI finishes the 2021-22 regular season with a split away home schedule. The Eagles starts the week with a visit to the University of Missouri-St. Louis February 24 and hosts Lindenwood University for Senior Day February 26.