GAME NOTES; COMPLETE TOP 25 POLL
EVANSVILLE, Ind. –The 2nd-ranked University of Southern Indiana men’s basketball team returns to the friendly surroundings of the Physical Activities Center for the first time in a month when it hosts the University of Missouri-St. Louis Thursday and Rockhurst University Saturday for Homecoming. Tip-off Thursday versus UMSL is 7:30 p.m., while the start time Saturday against Rockhurst is 3:15 p.m.
Game coverage of the Screaming Eagles’ games, including live stats, video, and audio, can be found at www.gousieagles.com.
The Eagles (19-0, 10-0 GLVC) survived unbeaten through a road swing that lasted six games and 27 days, concluding with last week’s wins over the University of Wisconsin-Parkisde and Lewis University. USI also finished the month of January with a total of eight wins.
USI is currently tied with NCAA Division II top-ranked Arkansas Tech University for the best record in the country (19-0) and the longest winning streak (19). Arkansas Tech reached 19-0 after defeating Christian Brothers University on the road Monday night.
During the six straight away from the PAC, senior guard Jamar Smith (Peoria, Illinois) and senior forward Tyrone Bradshaw (Cincinnati, Ohio) led the way for the Eagles. Smith, who has posted double figures in scoring in 18-of-19 games this year, had a team-best 17.8 points per game during the road trip.
Bradshaw continued to emerge as a force for the Eagles, averaging 15.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 1.3 steals, and 1.2 assists in the six games. The senior forward also has strung together 12 straight games with double-figure scoring and averaged 14.3 points per contest and shot 67.4 percent from the field (64-95) during in that period.
The Eagles also are getting more offensive production from junior center Mohamed Ntumba (Kinshasa, Congo). Ntumba, who doubled his minutes since stepping into the starting shoes of Jeron Lewis, is averaging 14.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game over his last three starts.
For the season, Smith continues to lead the Eagles and the GLVC with 22.5 points per contest. Bradshaw is following Smith in the scoring column with 12.8 points per appearance and is leading the GLVC with 41 blocks (2.2 per game).
Junior guard Kevin Gant (Indianapolis, Indiana), the USI point guard who leads the GLVC in assist/turnover ratio, is first on the team and second in the league with 5.6 assists per game. He also averaged a team-best 6.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game during the road trip.
The Tritons of UMSL (10-11, 4-8 GLVC) are in the midst of a six-game losing streak and have not won since defeating the University of Indianapolis at home on January 9. UMSL also joined USI in surpassing the 150-point mark earlier this year, scoring 152 at Maryville University.
USI leads the all-time series with UMSL, 29-11, and has outpaced the Tritons, 18-2, since 2000. The Eagles swept the Tritons last year, winning 93-86 at the PAC and 81-54 in St. Louis.
The Hawks of Rockhurst (14-7, 9-3 GLVC), who play at the University of Indianapolis on Thursday before coming to USI, starts the week on a three-game winning streak. Rockhurst also has won six of the last eight.
The Eagles lead the all-time series with the Hawks, 9-1, after sweeping three games with Rockhurst last season. USI won at home, 98-92 in double overtime, and on the road, 76-56, while completing the sweep with a victory in the first round of the NCAA Division II Tournament, 78-72.