at Southern Indiana (3-0): 72
Michigan Tech (1-3): 55
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EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The University of Southern Indiana cruised to a 72-55 win over Michigan Tech University Saturday night to open the Bill Joergens Memorial Tournament at the Physical Activities Center. USI raises its record to 3-0 overall, while Michigan Tech falls to 1-3 on the young season.
The Screaming Eagles were led by the 20-point performance of senior guard Jamar Smith (Peoria, Illinois) and 18-point effort of senior forward Tyrone Bradshaw (Cincinnati, Ohio). Smith, who scored 13 of his game-high 20 points in the second half, hit 7-of-18 from the field and four-of-12 from beyond the three-point arc. He also was two-of-two from the foul line.
Bradshaw, who was making his second straight start after coming off the bench all of last season, was a blistering seven-of-nine from the field and a perfect four-of-four from the charity stripe to post his career-best 18 points.
USI narrowly outrebounded Michigan Tech, 30-28, and was led on the by three players -- Smith, junior guard Kevin Gant (Indianapolis, Indiana), and junior center Mohamed Ntumba (Kinshasa, Congo) -- with six rebounds each. The six rebounds was a season-best for Ntumba.
Gant also had a career-high six assists in the win.
The Eagles built a 13-point halftime lead, 38-25, on the strength of a 14-2 run midway through the opening half. The largest margin USI would enjoy before the intermission was 13 points, 25-12, with 8:26 left in the half.
USI extended the lead to 17 points, 52-35, to open the second half, but Michigan Tech made a run at the Eagles and closed the gap to nine points, 63-54, with 5:18 to play. The Eagles’ defense would stiffen and held the Huskies to one point in the final five minutes to preserve the 72-55 win.
The Eagles continue the Bill Joergens Memorial Tournament Saturday at 7:30 p.m. when they play the University of Minnesota Duluth. The Bulldogs fell to 2-3 overall with a 90-48 loss to seventh-ranked Bellarmine University in the first game of the tournament.
Bellarmine plays Michigan Tech at 5:15 p.m. Saturday in the third game of the tournament.