EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men's Basketball outlasted Lindenwood University in overtime, 77-70, Saturday afternoon at Screaming Eagles Arena. USI goes to 17-7 overall and 12-6 in the GLVC, while Lindenwood is 12-16 overall, 8-12 in the league.
 
The Screaming Eagles and the Lions got off to slow starts as both teams combined for nine total points in the first five minutes. USI started to methodically get command of the contest with short spurts of offense, leading by as many as eight points (32-24) and had a 32-26 advantage at the break.
 
USI junior guard Jelani Simmons (Columbus, Ohio) led the offensive attack in the opening 20 minutes with 15 of the Eagles' 32 points. He was a blistering six-of-nine from the field, including three-of-six from long range.
 
Lindenwood started the second half off with a bang, making a 12-6 run to knot the game at 38-38 with 14:43 left. The Eagles grabbed the lead back, 41-38, on a free throw by freshman guard Isaiah Stafford (Bolingbrook, Illinois) and a bucket by Simmons.
 
The USI margin grew to as many as eight points (50-42) in the final minutes, but the Lions battled back to send the contest into overtime tied, 63-63.
 
In overtime, Simmons, Stafford, and sophomore guard Tyler Henry (Brooklyn, New York) took over to get the Eagles over the top by combining to score the 14 USI points in the extra time. Simmons, put USI in front for good with a jumper 15 seconds into the overtime as the Eagles would lead by a six twice before settling for the seven-point, 77-70, final.
 
Stafford led USI in the extra time with six points on a bucket and four free throws, while Simmons also had a pair of charity shots and Henry dropped in all four of his.
 
In the box score, Stafford led all scorers with a season-high 31 points, posting 21 of USI's 31 points in the second half. Stafford was 11-of-24 for the game, eight-of-16 in the second 20 minutes, and two of three from downtown.
 
Simmons added six points in the second half and in overtime to finish with 21 points, one short of a season high. Henry rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points for the game.
 
USI junior forward Jacob Polakovich (Grand Rapids, Michigan) led all rebounders with 17 boards, 12 on the defensive end. Polakovich has been dominating on the glass over the last five games, averaging 14.2 rebounds per contest.  

 
COMING UP FOR USI:
USI begins Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament action Monday at 7 p.m. as the fifth seed when it host 12^th-seeded University of Illinois Springfield in the first round at Screaming Eagles Arena. Following the opening rounds on campus sites, the GLVC Tournament continues March 3-6 at First Community Arena on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The GLVC Championship game is set for March 6 at 3:30 p.m.
 
The Prairie Stars finished the 2021-22 season with a 12-16 overall record and a 7-13 mark in GLVC play. Illinois Springfield lost 10 of its last 13 games since the end of January, beginning with a loss to USI, 66-39, at Screaming Eagles Arena.
 
USI has a 16-4 all-time series lead over Illinois Springfield, including the last six and 10 of the last 12 games. The 66-39 victory by USI completed a regular season sweep of the Prairie Stars. The Eagles took the first meeting of the season, 64-52, in Springfield.