On Saturday, the USI Men’s Basketball team hosted the Kentucky State University Throrobreds, a Division II opponent, for a non-conference matchup at Liberty Arena. This matchup provided a chance to build consistency for the squad as they had won their previous matchup at Valparaiso University and beat the Beacons by a score of 64-56. Ismail Habib, senior guard, scored 25 points and hit six three-pointers in a team-high 37 minutes of play. Throughout the season, Habib has been a strong presence on the team, averaging 19 points per game, 41% shooting from the field, and 35% from beyond the arc.
Early into the game, Habib brought his A game, scoring the first three buckets for Southern Indiana, two of which were three-pointers, which gave the Screaming Eagles an early 8-2 advantage at 17:59. He continued to be effective, dishing the ball to Ola Ajiboye, senior forward, for a two-point jumper, extending the lead to eight. Defensively, Ajiboye was a menace, blocking a shot early in the game, one of his five rejections for the game.
However, the Screaming Eagles went on a cold streak after 16:32, when Tolu Samuels, junior forward, then hit two free throws. Their next bucket would not be for another four and a half minutes, when Sheridan Sharp, junior guard, scored a layup in the paint. Through this drought, Kentucky State went on a run, cutting the deficit to five points, and with just over 11 minutes to go, trailed by just one point.
The cold streak would not last long, as Southern Indiana got into a rhythm from deep. Kaden Brown, senior guard, and Habib hit two three-pointers apiece in the latter half of the first period of play. Cardell Bailey, senior guard, added a three-pointer as well. This inspired run to close the first half helped guide the Screaming Eagles to a 44-27 lead entering halftime.
Out of halftime, the Screaming Eagles looked on point, opening the half on a 10-0 run to grow the lead to 52-27. The team continued their barrage from downtown, as Habib, Brown, and Steven Clay, senior guard, made shots from beyond the three-point line. Ajiboye also continued his strong defensive play, grabbing four rebounds in the first two minutes and accumulating another blocked shot. After a fastbreak dunk from Samuels, Kentucky State called a timeout to settle their team down. However, this timeout was in vain, as the Screaming Eagles continued their scoring surplus, shooting 55% from the field and 42% from three-point range.
With 13 minutes left, Bailey took control of the game, scoring 11 points in the second half with a wide variety of shots. His scoring performance in the latter half of the second period helped Southern Indiana take a strong lead. In the end, the Screaming Eagles closed out Kentucky State by a score of 93-56.
This win marks the second in a row for the USI Men’s Basketball team, and was the best win of the season so far. Five players scored in double figures, led by Brown and Habib, who scored 20 and 16 points, respectively. Ajiboye was a strong defensive presence, blocking five shots, grabbing two steals, and retrieved eight rebounds.
The team hits the road Wednesday for a matchup against Western Michigan University Dec. 3. The men’s basketball team will make a stop at Indiana State University Saturday, Dec. 7. They close out the non-conference schedule with a home game against East-West University Monday, Dec. 15.
