EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men's Basketball had its six-game winning streak snapped by William Jewell College, 64-60, Friday evening at Screaming Eagles Arena. USI goes to 13-5 overall and 8-4 in the GLVC, while William Jewell is 11-10 overall, 7-6 in the league.
 
The opening half featured the Cardinals and the Screaming Eagles trading runs for the lead. The Eagles rallied from a 4-0 deficit to take a brief 8-6 lead in the opening moments before the Cardinals posted a quick 7-0 outburst to move in front 13-8. USI responded with a 10-2 surge to get their second lead of the game, 18-15.
 
William Jewell took its turn with a 9-0 dash to regain the front-runner status, 24-18, with 4:42 left in the opening half. USI rebounded to outscored William Jewell in the final minutes of the half, 11-4, and took a slim 29-28 margin into the locker room.
 
USI junior guard Jelani Simmons (Columbus, Ohio) paced the Eagles in the opening 20 minutes with 11 points. He was a blistering three-of-four from the field, one-of-one from downtown, and four-of-four from stripe.
 
The Eagles started the second half by posting their largest lead of the game, 39-34, with 15:13 left to play. The Cardinals, however, put an end to the USI run by going on a 19-6 scamper to get their largest margin, 53-45, with 7:12 on the clock.
 
The eight-point deficit would prove to be too big of a hill to climb as the Eagles would close to within two points four times in the final four minutes only to see the Cardinals close the door on the 64-60 final. A key to the William Jewell win was on the glass, outrebounding USI, 46-35.
 
Individually for USI, Simmons led three players in double-digits with 15 points. Freshman guard Isaiah Stafford (Bolingbrook, Illinois) followed with 12 points, while junior forward Tyler Dancy (Belleville, Illinois) closed out the double-figure Eagles with 10 points.
 
  
COMING UP FOR USI:
USI hits the road next week, visiting Drury University Thursday and Southwest Baptist University February 12. Game time at Drury is 7:45 p.m., while tipoff at SBU is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
Drury is 6-11 overall and 3-6 in the GLVC after posting a 75-74 victory in today's action at Lindenwood University. The Panthers, who are at the bottom of the GLVC West Division, get back on track after back-to-back losses and will host William Jewell Monday before welcoming the Eagles.
 
USI holds a slim 13-12 advantage in the all-time series and the two teams have split the last six meetings. Last season, USI won the only contest, 91-90, at Screaming Eagles Arena.
 
SBU, currently, leads the GLVC West Division with an 8-3 league mark and a 14-4 overall record. The Bearcats play at the University of Missouri-St. Louis tonight at 6 p.m. and have a pair of games next week (Monday vs. McKendree University and Thursday vs. University of Indianapolis) before hosting USI next Saturday.
 
The Bearcats hold a one-game lead in the season series, 3-2, after defeating USI in January, 65-61, at Screaming Eagles Arena. The teams have alternated wins in the five games of the series, dating back to 1984.