EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana had to fend off a pair of last second shots and held on to defeat Tennessee State University, 69-67, Thursday evening at Screaming Eagles Arena. The Eagles rise to 5-11 overall and start OVC play 2-1, while the Tigers are 8-8 overall, 1-2 OVC.

The USI Eagles soared out to a 17-2 lead before five minutes were gone to start the game. USI hit five of its first seven shots, including a trio of three-pointers, while holding TSU to one-of-four from the field. The game opening run would last through 13:43 and was extended to 20-2. The Eagles would reach a second 18-point lead at 22-4 at 12:45 when sophomore guard/forward AJ Smith (Edwardsville, Illinois), who had 15 first half points, dropped the hammer.

The Tiger offense came to life at the midway half of the opening 20 minutes with 14-2 run of their own to cut the gap to 22-16 at 8:53 before halftime. The Eagle shooters would go cold during the TSU run, going scoreless for 4:33 going 0-7 from the field.   

TSU would shrink the USI margin to four points, 35-31, before USI was able to take a seven-point lead into halftime, 40-33.

The second half saw the Tigers outscore the Eagles, 11-4, and tied the game, 44-44, with16:20 to play. A defensive battle would ensue with both teams going scoreless for the next four minutes and without a field goal for over five minutes until USI junior forward Jack Mielke (Downers Grove, Illinois) gave USI back the lead, 47-44, at 11:31.

The Eagles and the Tigers would trade baskets and leads over the next nine minutes (10 lead changes and seven ties) when a quick surge gave TSU a 64-61 lead with 2:33 left in the game. Junior guard Jeremiah Hernandez (Chicago, Illinois) pulled the Eagles back to within one, 64-63, with a rebound and lay in before junior forward Nick Hittle (Indianapolis, Indiana) put USI back in the lead, 65-64, with a jumper in the lane with 1:14 left.

Hernandez padded the USI margin with a pair of free throws, 67-64, but TSU was not done, closing the gap once again to one, 67-66, with 13.5 to play. USI sophomore guard Jack Campion (Milton, Wisconsin) put the Eagles back up three, 69-66, with a pair of charity shots with 10 seconds to play.

The USI defense and Smith would close the door in the final six seconds in the 69-67 win. Following a made free throw on the front end of a one-and-one, USI fended off three TSU shots, including a block by Smith, in a thrilling final sequence.

In the scoring column for USI, Hernandez scored 12 second half points and finished game with a game-high 20 points. The junior guard was five-of-11 from the field and 10-of-12 from the line after drawing 11 fouls in the game.

Smith would round out he double-digit scorers with his 15 first half points and recorded his seventh double-double of the season with 10 rebounds. The seven double-doubles are tied for first in the OVC.

Mielke recorded his first double-digit rebound game of the season with a career-high 10 rebounds in the win.

Next Up For USI:
USI concludes the quick two-game homestand versus Tennessee Tech University Saturday for USI Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night. Tipoff is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. The USI Women's Basketball will lead off the doubleheaders at 5 p.m. each night.

The Golden Eagles of TTU are 5-11 in 2023-24, 0-3 in the OVC, after falling at Morehead State University, 82-57, in Morehead, Kentucky this evening. TTU took both meetings with USI last year, winning in Cookeville, Tennessee, 84-69, and at Screaming Eagles Arena, 82-79.
 
Fans can find all the ways to follow USI Basketball action at home by visiting USIScreamingEagles.com