MOREHEAD, Ky. – University of Southern Indiana Men's Basketball lost a heartbreaker in the final seconds at Morehead State, 64-63, at Johnson Arena in Morehead, Kentucky, Tuesday night. The Screaming Eagles go to 7-22 overall and 4-15 in the OVC, while the MSU Eagles are 18-12, 14-5 OVC.
 
In a tough, back-and-forth start, USI and MSU battled for control. The Screaming Eagles had the early four-point lead, 12-8, with 11:21 to play in the opening half, while the MSU Eagles posted the largest lead of the opening 20 minutes, 25-19, with 5:22 left.
 
USI rallied in the final five minutes to tie the game, 29-29, at the intermission with a 10-4 surge. Senior guard/forward Steven Clay led the charge with a pair of three-point buckets, while junior forward Tolu Samuels and senior guard Cardell Bailey dropped in a bucket each. Bailey finished the first half with 13 of USI's 29 points.
 
The final 20 minutes were the same as the first half, as neither team could wrest control from the other. The half would register 12 lead changes and 10 ties. MSU would post the widest margin of the second half, five points, 39-34, just three minutes into the final half.
 
After the MSU Eagles took a 62-60 lead with 39 seconds left, USI regained the lead 63-62, on a corner three by senior guard/forward Steven Clay with 20 seconds left on the clock. MSU drove down the court, drew a foul with six seconds left, and moved back into the lead, 64-63, on a pair of charity shots.
 
The Screaming Eagles had one last chance thwarted by MSU, but not before the officials had to go to replay to determine the outcome. The officials ruled that USI sophomore guard Josiah Dunham was fouled in the act of shooting, but his shot came after the buzzer sounded to end the 64-63 contest.
 
For the contest, Bailey and Clay led the Screaming Eagles in the scoring column. Bailey had a team-high 17 points on seven-of-14 from the field, including a three-pointer, and two-of-three from the line. Clay posted 15 points, nine coming in the second half, on six-of-nine from the field and three-of-six from beyond the arc.
 
Next Up For USI:
The Screaming Eagles conclude the four-game road swing and the 2025-26 season with a visit to Little Rock Saturday in Little Rock, Arkansas. Tipoff for the season finale is set for 3:30 p.m.  
 
The Trojans begin the week 11-18 overall and 8-10 in the OVC after splitting last week. Little Rock will host Morehead State Thursday prior to welcoming USI on Saturday.
 
Little Rock leads the all-time series with USI, 5-2, after taking the first meeting, 77-62, at Liberty Arena to open OVC action in December.