EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men's Basketball ran away from the University of Illinois Springfield, 81-52, in the first round of the GLVC Tournament Monday evenings at Screaming Eagles Arena. USI goes to 18-7 overall, while Illinois Springfield concludes the season 12-17.
 
The Screaming Eagles and the Prairie Stars battle for control early in the contest with USI methodically pulling away towards the end of the first 20 minutes. USI's big surge of the half was a 17-8 run to post its largest lead of the half, 34-21, when freshman guard Isaiah Stafford (Bolingbrook, Illinois) drained a three-pointer with 1:18 on the clock.
 
Stafford scored eight of his 13 first half points during the 17-8 run to pace the Eagles, who settled for a 34-25 lead at the intermission.  
 
In the second half, the Eagles needed a few minutes kick into gear, but when they did, it was high gear. USI used a 20-6 run to put distance between itself and the Stars, hitting a blistering eight-of-10 from the field, four-of-five from downtown for the 54-35 advantage. Sophomore guard Tyler Henry led the offensive outburst with nine of the 20 points.
 
USI continued to add to the margin, building the lead to as many as 33 points, 79-46, with 1:23 to play in the contest and settling for the 81-52 final.
 
In the scoring column, junior guard Jelani Simmons (Columbus, Ohio) scored 17 of his game-high and season-best 22 points in the second half to lead the Eagles. Simmons was nine-of-14 from the field, including a pair of three-point bombs, and two-of-two from the stripe.
 
The 22 points put Simmons over 1,000 points for his collegiate career (USI: 552 points; Youngstown State University: 430 points).
 
Stafford added three points in the second half and followed Simmons in the scoring column with 16 points. The freshman guard was on fire from the field, hitting six-of-10 from the field and three-of-five from beyond the arc.
 
Freshman guard Isaiah Swope (Newburgh, Indiana) was third in the scoring column with 15 points and posted his first collegiate double-double with a season-high 10 assists. Henry rounded out the double-digit scorers with 14 points on four three pointers and a pair of free throws.
 
Junior forward Jacob Polakovich (Grand Rapids, Michigan) continued to be a force on the glass with a game-high 12 rebounds.
 
Next Up in the GLVC Tournament:
USI continues GLVC Tournament action Friday at 6 p.m. when it plays fourth-seeded University of Missouri-St. Louis in the quarterfinals at First Community Arena on the campus of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The UMSL defeated 13^th-seeded, Drury University tonight, 96-63, in St. Louis
 
The Tritons of UMSL, who won the GLVC Central Division, are 21-6 this year and have won their last seven contests, including a 76-68 victory over USI last week. USI holds a 39-15 all-time series lead over UMSL.
 
The Tritons have had USI's number the last six games, taking four of the last six.
 
Following the second round of quarterfinal games Friday, the GLVC Tournament continues with the semifinals Saturday and the championship game Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at First Community Arena.