COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – University of Southern Indiana Men's Basketball fought until the final seconds before falling short at Tennessee Tech University, 68-64, Thursday evening in Cookeville, Tennessee. The Screaming Eagles are 6-8 overall and 1-3 in OVC action, while the Golden Eagles are 7-7, 2-1 OVC.
 
For the first time in three games, USI started fast on the offensive end and jumped out to an 8-3 lead. TTU responded with a 7-0 run of its own and grabbed a 12-8 advantage. The Golden Eagles would extend their run and built a first-half best 13-point margin, 27-14.
 
The Screaming Eagles' offense kicked back into gear and used a 13-3 run to close the gap to two, 30-28 with 2:59 left in the first half. USI sophomore forward Stephen Olowoniyi, who had 18 points in the first 20 minutes, led the closing run with eight of the 13 points during the run.  
 
TTU would close the half by outscoring USI, 7-5, and lead at the intermission, 37-33.
 
In the second half, TTU got some separation early with a quick 7-0 run to lead 44-33 before three minutes were gone. USI, trailing 46-36, used a 9-2 run with 11:16 to play to slice the deficit to 48-45 after junior guard Jared Washington hit a pair of free throws.
 
The USI offense would go cold just after the midway point of the second half as TTU regained command with a 10-2 surge to get back to an 11-point advantage, 58-47. The Screaming Eagles stayed close and began to claw their way back into the game with a late 12-7 rally to shrink the gap to 65-62 with 23 seconds after junior guard Jack Campion deposited a pair of free throws. Junior guard Damoni Harrison led the 12-point swell with nine of the points.
 
USI would get one more chance to send the game to overtime trailing 67-64, but Harrison's three-pointer from the right side would rim out with three seconds on the clock. TTU would get one more free throw with 0.4 seconds before closing out the 68-64 final.
 
Individually for the game, Olowoniyi would add eight points in the final half and finish with a game-high 26 points. The sophomore forward, who also posted his second double-double of the year with a season-high 13 rebounds, was 11-of-17 from the field and four-of-four from the stripe.
 
Harrison followed in the scoring column with 20 points and tied a season-high with eight rebounds. He was eight-of-20 from the field, including three three-pointers, and one-of-one from the line.
 
Next Up For USI:
Following tonight's game, USI is idle this weekend before continuing the road swing at Southeast Missouri State University January 9 and concluding the trip at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock January 11.