5 things we learned about USI basketball through the first five games

EVANSVILLE — The first five games of the University of Southern Indiana men’s basketball season are in the books.

The Screaming Eagles, aiming for a bounce-back season, haven’t exactly started on the right foot with a 1-4 record. After dropping their first two games in overtime, the Eagles split the I-64 Showcase with Marshall and Bellarmine before suffering a 19-point road loss to Purdue Fort Wayne this past Saturday.

With only five more games until Ohio Valley Conference play, here are a few takeaways from USI’s start.

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USI is better than what its record indicates

Despite the 1-4 start, there have been exciting moments.

One of the biggest was Jack Campion’s game-winning jumper at Bellarmine with 1.4 seconds remaining to give USI its first victory. Freshman Josiah Dunham, an Evansville Christian product, has quickly become a fan favorite as Liberty Arena exploded when he drained his first collegiate 3-pointer against Bucknell.

All four of USI’s players averaging double-digit scoring are transfers. Jayland Randall is the OVC’s 10th-leading scorer (15.4 PPG) while Stephen Olowoniyi averages the conference’s seventh-most rebounds at 6.8 per game. They were the only Eagles named to the All-OVC preseason team.

Southern Indiana’s Jack Campion (5) drives as the University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles play the Tennessee State Tigers during the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Championship tournament at Ford Center in Evansville, Ind., Wednesday, March 6, 2024.

More of USI’s transfers are standing out

Damoni Harrison isn’t just the team’s second-leading scorer but also the second-leading rebounder. The only Eagle to score double digits in every game so far this season, Harrison’s best outing was a 20-point, six-rebound performance against Marshall.

Sam Kodi also had a breakout performance against the Thundering Herd by scoring 16 points off the bench.

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/5-things-learned-usi-basketball-091528104.html

Author : The Courier & Press

Publish date : 2024-11-20 09:15:00

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