ST. LOUIS, Mo. – University of Southern Indiana Men's Basketball rallied late in the second half, but fell short of the University of Missouri-St. Louis, 76-68, Thursday evening in St. Louis, Missouri. USI goes to 16-7 overall and 11-6 in the GLVC, while UMSL is 19-6 overall, 13-5 in the league.
 
The Screaming Eagles trailed for most of the first half, falling behind by as many as eight points, 27-19, before rallying with a 13-4 run to get their first lead of the game, 32-31, at halftime. Junior guard Jelani Simmons (Columbus, Ohio) and junior forward Jacob Polakovich led the charge to halftime with six points each during the run.  
 
The momentum switched back to the Tritons to start the second half with UMSL exploding on a 17-7 run to get lead back, 48-39. USI rebounded to close to within three-points, 48-45, after freshman guard Isaiah Swope (Newburgh, Indiana) hit back-to-back three-pointers.
 
UMSL, however, followed with a decisive 15-3 run to take its biggest lead of the game, 65-50, with 4:13 to play. USI sophomore guard Tyler Henry (Brooklyn, New York) made an attempt to bring the Eagles all the way back by scoring 11-straight points to make the score, 65-61, with 1:42 left.
 
The four-point deficit would be as close as the Eagles would come the rest of the way as the Triton held on for the 76-68 victory. Henry and Polakovich paced the Eagles in the loss with 16 points each, while Swope dropped in 11 points to round out the double-digit scorers.
 
Polakovich, who was held to one second half field goal after scoring 14 in the first 20 minutes, was a blistering eight-of-nine from the field and completed a double-double with 18 rebounds. The junior forward is averaging 14.4 rebounds per contest over his last five outings.
 
Henry, who is averaging 18.0 points per game in the last three, scored all 16 of his points in the second half, 12 in the final four minutes. The sophomore was five-of-eight in the second half, including four-of-five from long range, and two-of-two from the stripe.
 
COMING UP FOR USI:
USI finishes the 2021-22 regular season Saturday when it hosts Lindenwood University for Senior Day at 3:15 p.m.
 
Lindenwood is 12-15 overall and 8-11 in the GLVC after falling, 75-72, to the University of Indianapolis tonight in St. Charles, Missouri. The Lions have lost six of the last nine games leading up to the regular season finale.  
 
USI has a 3-0 advantage in the all-time series with Lindenwood after taking the first meeting of 2021-22, 70-56, on the road. Sophomore guard Tyler Henry had 18 points to lead four players in double-digits. Junior forward Jacob Polakovich also posted a double-double with 12 points and 19 rebounds in the win.