Box Score   •  Box Score (HTML)

INDIANAPOLIS – No. 23 Southern Indiana shot 60 percent from the field, while limiting No. 12 UIndy to 38.8 percent to take the road victory, 87-62, at Nicoson Hall on Thursday night.

The Screaming Eagles (17-5, 10-4 GLVC) made 30-of-50 from the field, including 8-of-16 three-pointers, and converted 19-of-26 free throws. The Greyhounds (17-5, 9-5 GLVC) countered by making 19-of-49 from the floor, 3-of-15 behind the arc and 21-of-32 at the free throw line.

USI led by 14 at halftime and held onto the lead by shooting 74 percent (17-23) in the second half to halt any UIndy comeback.

"This is the most disappointing loss that I've been a part of as a coach," head coach Stan Gouard said. "To come out in a game this important with conference standings and NCAA Tournament implications and show no energy or hustle is disappointing. They took it to us the entire game and I'm disappointed that we weren't ready to go."

Southern Indiana had the advantage on the glass, 36-24, and shared the ball better with 22 assists, while the Greyhounds had just six assists.

Leland Brown led UIndy with 16 points, while Tyrae Robinson had 13 points and three steals. James Hollowell scored 12 points with seven rebounds and Brennan McElroy contributed 10 points and eight rebounds. UIndy leading scorer Reece Cheatham was limited to three points on 0-of-9 shooting from the field.

Orlando Rutledge led Southern Indiana with 25 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals, while Keith DeWitt had 14 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Overall, USI finished with five players in double figures and a 21-8 advantage in points off the bench.

"A lot of things tonight cost us the basketball game," Gouard said. "We wanted to shoot a lot of free throws, but then we missed 11. We wanted to win the war on the boards and got out-rebounded by 12. We just weren't tough enough tonight."

A lay-up by Brown and steal that led to a score by Robinson put UIndy in front, 6-2, but it wouldn't last long. USI strung together a 14-2 run to take its first 10-point lead, 21-11, at the midway point of the first half. The Greyhounds were able to get back to within eight, 26-18, but went scoreless in the final 1:50 as Southern Indiana pushed the lead back to 14, 37-23, at halftime.

UIndy shot 25 percent (7-28) in the first half and made 7-of-13 free throws, while the Eagles made 13-of-27 field goals and 7-of-8 at the line.

It was more of the same as Southern Indiana needed less than seven minutes to stretch its lead to 24, 56-32.

The Greyhounds started to create a bevy of turnovers and made things interesting in cutting the lead to 12, 70-58, with 5:51 to play after a free throw by Brown. On the ensuing full court pressure, McElroy created a turnover and potential fast break opportunity. Hollowell threw the ball away trying to push it up the court and USI turned that into a dunk by Manny Ogunfolu. That was the first of three consecutive turnovers as USI went back up by 19, 77-58, with 4:21 to play and coasted to victory from there.

UIndy remains at Nicoson Hall on Saturday at 3:15 p.m. to host Kentucky Wesleyan (16-6, 8-6 GLVC).