EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men's Basketball could not hold onto a second-half lead and lost to Virginia Military Institute, 78-74, Friday evening in the home opener at Liberty Arena. The Screaming Eagles are 0-2 to start the year, while VMI begins 2025-26, 2-0.
 
USI started fast in the home opener, jumping out to a 5-0 lead to begin the contest. Senior guard Trey Thomas got the first bucket of the year at home with a lay-in, while junior guard Kaden Brown side-stepped on the right side of the arc and sank a three-point bomb.
 
The score would close and the teams would be knotted at 23-23 when the Eagles exploded on a 13-3 run to lead by 10 points, 36-26. Thomas and senior guard Ismail Habib led the dash with four points each.
 
USI added another digit before VMI closed the gap by the intermission, 37-30. Thomas and Habib reached double-digits by the end of the first 20 minutes with 12 and 11 points, respectively.
 
In the second half, VMI would close the gap with the Eagles and tied the game up at 13:47, 48-48. USI regained the momentum and used a 10-2 run to re-extend the lead to eight points, 58-50, after a Habib three-pointer. The Eagles were four-of-six during the run with a pair of three-pointers.
 
The Keydets, however, were not ready to concede as they rallied with a 14-4 surge to re-tie the contest, 60-60, and take a 64-62 lead with 4:43 left.
 
USI regained the advantage, 67-66, with 3:09 to play on a jumper by senior guard Cardell Bailey and extended the lead to 69-66 on a pair of free throws by Habib. VMI rallied to take the final lead of the game with an 8-0 run to post a 74-69 lead with 36 ticks on the clock before holding off USI in the final minute, 78-74.
 
In the scoring column, Habib posted a two-game high 26 points (three short of a collegiate-best). He was nine-of-20 from the field, including three from downtown, and five-of-six from the line.
 
Brown and Thomas rounded out USI's double-digit scorers with 14 points and 12 points, respectively. Senior forward Ola Ajiboye led USI on the boards with 11 and was two points shy of a double-double with eight points.
 
Next Up For USI:
USI hits the road next week, traveling to the University of South Dakota Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Vermillion, South Dakota. The Eagles lead the all-time series, 3-0, after posting a 92-83 win at Liberty Arena last year.
 
The Screaming Eagles captured the first meeting at the Central Gym in 1979-80, 77-5, and the second matchup in the 1994 NCAA II Elite Eight, 98-77.
 
South Dakota, which hosts Ozark Christian College Sunday, has started the year 0-2 after falling to Utah Tech, 81-79, at home and to Craighton University, 92-76, on the road.
 
The next home game for USI November 16 when it hosts Loras College at Liberty Arena. Tip-off is 3 p.m.