USI Screaming Eagles -- From DII to the Big Time?

[jksander]

May 1, 2024: ESPN has reported this morning that the University of Southern Indiana (USI) Screaming Eagles have settled on 42-year-old Max Davidson as the team’s new head coach. Davidson, a former assistant under Stan Gouard who recently stepped down from the job as the team transitions to Division I level, has no head coaching experience but did serve as the team’s defensive assistant through Gouard’s tenure. Davidson will earn $80,000 this year as he continues to navigate the program through the transition process -- in 2022-23 they were 16-17 (9-9) in their first Ohio Valley Conference campaign, but backslid last season with a relatively miserable 8-24 (5-13) record. The program, which won the Division II National Championship in 1995, made 29 appearances in that league’s tournament including four trips to the Final Four. Many in the region have questioned whether the investment is worth the cost when it comes to jumping levels to chase big-time baskeball success potentially at the expense of academics, but the athletic department has said they’re all-in on competing in the modern transfer-laden era. Whether Davidson is the man who can get them there, or is merely a short-term fix for a last-minute coaching vacancy will remain to be seen.

The team only has one scholarship open at the moment, which should make his recruiting job a little easier for the upcoming season. Freshman point guard Michael Miller is the player most people on the team are expecting solid things from ... he’s a 6’5” guard with solid midrange and outside shooting skills, with solid discipline, on-court IQ and overall athleticism, though he was only a two-star recruit coming out of high school via Freemont HS in Freemont, Indiana.

[jksander]

July 17, 2024: Though he only has one scholarship to fill, and thus the overall expectations for Max Davidson at USI are definitely lower than one would normally expect of a first-time coach on the recruiting trail. But rumors are swirling that he’s gotten himself into the running for three-star forward Ricky Joyner out of Lawrence North HS in Indianapolis. He visited USI three weeks ago, and originally was primarily considering Notre Dame, Butler, Indiana and Purdue, but we’re told he now has Southern Indiana in his sights! Joyner, who has a 3.0 GPA, is ranked #127 in the most current WSSN ratings, and is considered a top 20 prospect in the region mostly based off his shooting / scoring abilities and his defensive skills ... he’s averaging 17.3 points 7.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game as a senior, along with two assists and nearly two steals per game as well. Snagging him in year one would be a huge coup for the inexperienced head coach.

July 31, 2024: Ricky Joyner took a visit to Purdue this week, and with his father being an alum, the bubble may have burst for anyone thinking he’d choose lowly USI as his school. But we’re told Purdue has not offered him a scholarship, and in that regard the Screaming Eagles do have the lead in the race. We’ll keep you up to date as the recruiting battle heats up.

September 18, 2024: Ricky Joyner has officially dropped Southern Indiana out of his top ten despite reportedly having no other scholarship offers. We’re told it’s his parents, who want him to stay close to home but are still holding out for interest from Butler and Purdue. The Screaming Eagles do have interest from another of their targets, however ... 6’6” forward Morris Morin, of Mishawaka, Indiana’s Marian HS, was visited by Coach Davidson this week and USI was already among his top five schools even before Davidson offered him the open scholarship. Morin is a two-star prospect ranked just outside the top 500 nationally, but he’s a top-rated defender and outside shooter with above average athleticism. He’s currently averaging 15.3 points 4.1 rebounds and a pair of assists per game for Marian.
 
September 25, 2024: It won’t be an easy road for Coach Davidson at Southern Indiana this year ... the school’s AD scheduled just four non-conference home games this year, and they’ll face two early top-25 road opponents before Thanksgiving, along with Auburn, Georgia, Missouri and Vanderbilt, all on the road. The school will open the season on November 15 at home against Merrimack, then travelling to play preseason #25 Texas A&M on the 18th and #13 Dayton on the 22nd. It’s a schedule that makes the administration’s goals clear -- make money with buy games, and if the team wins any, great. But nothing we’ve seen suggests the school has a team capable of being much more than an OVC bottom-dweller this year, so expect the Screaming Eagles to get a trial by fire early in this season.

They did, however, get an early commitment from Morris Morin, so at the least it’s clear Davidson does know his way around the recruiting trail. Two star players won’t knock your socks off at most schools, but Morin had interest from Ball State, Evansville and Valparaiso, all teams with better national profiles than this former D-II power. So fans will take their confidence boosts where they can get them ... and who knows? Maybe the transfer portal will prove fruitful before long.

- - - - -

Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles starting lineup:

PG - Henry Carlisle (6’3 Jr, Hammond IN, Hammond HS)
SG - Mike Brewer (6’1” Jr, Richmond IN, Richmond HS)
SF - Paul Lampley (6’8” Jr, Attica IN, Attica HS)
PF - Travis Townes (6’7” So, Centerville IN, Centerville HS)
C - Jermaine Timmons (6’8” So, Gary IN, Hoarce Mann HS)

Brewer has a 2.2 GPA and is in danger of losing his eligibility to play if he can’t get his grades up by the end of the semester. We’re told he’s working with the team’s tutors to make sure he passes his finals, but the team will be heavily relying on sixth-man Matt Carson, a 6’3” junior from Cloverdale IN, to take on extra minutes should it prove necessary. The team looks like it will heavily rely on its starters, and though the bench will get minutes, they’re not likely to be GOOD minutes.

Surprisingly, the Screaming Eagles are predicted to finish fourth in the Ohio Valley this year, behind Western Illinois, Morehead State and Eastern Illinois. But a fourth place finish in a weak conference is unlikely to keep Southern Indiana anywhere near a .500 record, especially with their brutal pre-conference schedule.

[jksander]

NOVEMBER 15, 2024
Screaming Eagles Suffocate Warriors, Win Home Opener

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Merrimack came into town expecting to play competitive basketball, but the Screaming Eagles came out wings flapping in their first game under coach Max Davidson, and the result was a pleasant 81-61 home win. And in an unexpected turn, it was the bench that won it for them, as the Screaming Eagles’ second team outscored Merrimack’s by a 45-21 margin. Ryan Trombley, the team’s backup center, led the way with 15 points, two boards and a block while playing 19 minutes, and he may play his way into a starting job as a senior after sophomore Jermaine Timmons’ miserable start at the position. Paul Lampley looked great among the team’s starters, the junior forward putting up 10 points, nine boards, an assist and a steal.

Southern Indiana gets a couple days to appreciate this win, but they’ve clearly got their work cut out for them against Texas Tech later this week, a top 25 matchup in which Vegas already has them as a 35-point road underdog.
 
NOVEMBER 18, 2024
Texas A&M Grounds Eagles in Lopsided Road Battle

COLLEGE STATION, Tex. -- The #25 ranked Texas A&M Aggies had their way with Southern Indiana this evening, though the Screaming Eagles at least managed to cover the spread in what became a 72-47 beatdown. The Aggies outscored USI by a staggering 32-8 margin in the paint, and the Screaming Eagles only managed two second-chance points. Sophomore forward Jermaine Timmons led the team with 11 points five rebounds and an assist, but in the end the game was over before the second media timeout.

NOVEMBER 22, 2024
Eagles Grounded by Flyers in Dayton Mismatch

DAYTON, Ohio -- Against the #13 Flyers of Dayton, our Screaming Eagles again looked completely outmatched in the first half, giving the Flyers an 18-point halftime lead and then treading water as they lost again on the road 78-60. The fact that they avoided a blowout with an evenly played second half hardly mattered. No starters got into double figures scoring, and the team was led by freshman forward Rod Rodriguez who had 10 points two steals and a rebound off the bench in 13 minutes played. Jermaine Timmons had nine points four rebounds and an assist, while sophomore forward Travis Townes added seven points and five boards.

The team will travel to play San Diego State on Friday in a post-Thanksgiving matchup, before hitting the south for games against Auburn and Georgia.

NOVEMBER 25, 2024
Aztecs Ride Strong Second Half to Dominate Reeling Eagles

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Southern Indiana put up a good fight in the first half, but they never led and in the end San Diego State was able to coast to a 75-57 win. Though the game was within five points at the half, Southern Indiana came out completely stagnant to start the second half, and the Aztecs led by double figures for most of the final half. USI put up points in the paint in this one, nearly matching San Diego State 30-34, but again the bench had to carry an inordinate amount of the pressure as the starters for the team came out flat from the second-half tip onward. Ryan Trombley led the team off the bench with 12 points seven rebounds and an assist while playing a season-high 24 minutes. Junior guard Matt Carson also stepped up, playing 22 minutes off the bench and contributing 12 points with four rebounds and even a block!

It is becoming clear that this is not a team that has the depth to punch above its weight, but if these players can weather the storm of the pre-conference slate, maybe they can make up enough ground to remain relevant in Ohio Valley play.

[jksander]

NOVEMBER 29, 2024
Despite Improvemnents on Offense, Eagles Fall Hard Against Tigers

AUBURN, Ala. -- Ryan Trombley took over as the starting center for Southern Indiana and played his best game of the season so far, but the Screaming Eagles couldn’t overcome a slow start in the first half, losing to Auburn 88-73 as they fell to 1-4 to start the year. Trombley, a senior, finally earned his spot in the rotation with an 18 point 12 rebound performance, the team’s first double double of the year, while sophomore forward Travis Townes led the way with 21 points and not much else. It was enough for the Eagles to outscore Auburn 42-32 in the paint, but the Tigers dominated with the fast break, and though Southern Indiana managed to keep it within three posessions until the final four minutes of the game, they never led by more than a single point, trailing from the game’s first timeout to the final whistle. Auburn improved to 4-1 with the win while USI continues to search for an indentity on the court as they slipped to 1-4. They’ll play Georgia (1-2) on the road on Friday night as they continue to search for their first road win of the year.
 
DECEMBER 2, 2024
Southern Indiana Stun Bulldogs 66-62 in Defensive Thriller

ATHENS, Ga. -- The Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles picked up a solid quad two victory on the road this evening as they built an early lead and then held it through a thrilling back and forth battle, overcoming 17 lead changes as they held tough to beat Georgia 66-62. They outscored the Bulldogs 12-2 off second chances and 28-22 in the paint, outrebounding them by an incredible 44-23 margin! Paul Lampley led the team with 14 points seven rebounds four blocks and two assists, while Ryan Trombley added 12 points five boards and three blocks. They led by three at the half, and after a flurry of lead changes they took the lead for good in the final four minutes as they won and improved to 2-4 on the still-young season. The team returns to Evansville for a game against the 2-4 Florida Osprey on December 6, and will then continue their trek through the SEC with games against Missouri (2-2) on the 9th and Vanderbilt (3-2) on the 13th. They’ll then finish the season with home games against Houston Christian (0-7) and NJIT (3-3) before opening the conference slate with a home game against 0-5 SIU Edwardsville.

DECEMBER 6, 2024
Southern Indiana Ekes Out Close One Over Osprey, 73-69

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- In a game that was much closer than anyone in the gym hoped it would be, the Screaming Eagles of Southern Indiana managed to beat the North Florida Osprey when it counted. Overcoming a one point deficit at the half, they took the lead quickly after the break and never trailed, though the game was within two posessions for most of the game, the Eagles never leading by more than 12. But they dominated the battle in the paint 36-14, led by Travis Townes with 13 points seven rebounds and a pair of blocks, and by Jermaine Timmons off the bench with 13 points three rebounds and two steals. USI has looked solid in their last three games, and appear to be settling into a groove. But with two tough road games remaining on the schedule, they now have a real opportunity to capitalize on their tough road schedule and build a real resume before dropping off the national radar when the OVC begins competition.

DECEMBER 9, 2024
Missouri Stops Eagles Mid-Flight to Snap Win Streak

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Southern Indiana fought hard but came up short, getting dominated off second chance baskets in the second half as the Missouri Tigers won 75-63. USI was tied with the Tigers at the half, 34-34, and outscored them in the paint 28-26 in a game that was tied five times and which featured a dozen lead changes. Ryan Trombley continues to have a special senior season, leading the team with 16 points 10 rebounds and a blocked shot that allowed the team to tie the game at the half, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a much deeper Tigers roster. The Screaming Eagles fell to 3-5 on the season with three games left before conference play begins, but they’re continuing to show a lot of grit on the hardwood.

DECEMBER 13, 2024
Vanderbilt Smothers Southern Indiana With 59-47 Loss

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Despite a valliant second half comeback attempt, Southern Indiana had no defense against the onslaught the Commodores blitzed them with en route to a double digit defensive beatdown. The Screaming Eagles trailed by 16 at the half, but managed to hold Vanderbilt to just 23 points in the second half as they kept the game from becoming a rout. But the Commodores won the paint battle 28-8 and the rebound battle 32-26, as USI looked outmatched from the word go. Paul Lampley was the only Screaming Eagle with double digit scoring, putting up 12 points with five rebounds an assist and a blocked shot. The team falls to 3-6 on the season with two home games remaining that should be winnable, at which point, with all their current wins now falling in Quad 4 range, any hope they’ll have of a postseason appearance would ride on winning the Ohio Valley outright. That’s a tall order for any first-year coach.

DECEMBER 20, 2024
Southern Indiana Defeats Winless Houston Baptist 82-67

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Ryan Trombley put up 16 points and six rebounds while Travis Townes added 13 points five rebounds and a trio of assists as the Screaming Eagles won a cupcake game against winless Houston Baptist this evening. Second chance baskets proved to be the difference maker, as the Eagles outscored the Huskies 13-2 on second tries while outrebounding the hapless team 30-24. Though a winning record is not possible heading into the conference slate, the team has a chance against the 4-7 NJIT Highlanders next week to pick up a fifth win, and at this point the OVC itself looks wide open.

DECEMBER 27, 2024
Offensive Explosion Leads To Blowout Win For Screaming Eagles over Highlanders

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Southern Indiana had its best offensive game of the season thus far, taking a ten-point halftime lead and turning it into a 92-63 rout as they improved to 5-6 heading into Ohio Valley play. Ryan Trombley set the stage with a 21 point 10 rebound two assist performance, and sophomore forward Jermaine Timmons came off the bench for 14 points two rebounds and an assist in a game the Eagles led by as many as 31 points late in the proceedings. NJIT never led after the first four minutes of play. The Eagles haven’t won a game outside the bottom quad at the moment, and are unlikely to have many higher-quality games during the conference slate, but they’re undefeated at home and did manage to win a game against an SEC foe on the road, so the season’s off to a solid start heading into the snowy months of winter.

[jksander]

JANUARY 1, 2025
OVC PREVIEW: Wide Open Ohio Valley Has No Clear Favorite, Plenty of Potential Contenders and Pretenders

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. -- It’s that time of year when we discuss the state of the Ohio Valley conference as basketball competition heats up across the region. Western Illinois, Morehead State, SE Missouri State and Linwood lead the league with 7-4 conference records, and Western Illinois and Morehead State have the strongest strength of schedule, with NET rankings in the top 60 for the two programs. SE Missouri State has a NET of 102, just outside the top hundred, and the Eastern Illinois Panthers (5-6) are ranked 92nd, so both teams played difficult schedules early and got strong reward for their efforts. But beyond that level of play, the remainder of the group appears to be par for the course for the league, and if teams like Southern Indiana (5-6, #159 NET) or Little Rock (6-5, #248 NET) want to show they have what it takes to win the OVC, they’re going to have to beat some quality teams. The bottom third of the conference looks as weak as it could possibly be -- SIU Edwardsville is off to an 0-11 start and is ranked dead last in the NET rankings, while 4-7 Tennessee Martin’s Skyhawks got off to a 4-7 start but against a strength of schedule ranked in the low 300’s.

The 18-game conference schedule gets underway tomorrow when Eastern Illinois faces Western Illinois at noon, followed by games featuring Morehead State at Tennessee State, SIU Edwardsville at Southern Indiana and Little Rock at Tennessee Martin.

Top OVC players this season:

6’9” C Chris Messer (Senior, Tennessee Martin) - 17.2 ppg 7.3 rpg 1.6 apg 1.0 bpg 0.8 spg
6’8” SF Kelyn Church (Senior, Morehead State) - 17.1 ppg 4.0 rpg 1.4 apg 1.4 spg 1.0 bpg
6’8” C Romain Ingram (Senior, SE Missouri State) - 14.5 ppg 4.9 rpg 0.9 apg 0.9 spg 0.1 bpg
6’1” PG Roger Kent (Junior, Tennessee Martin) - 14.3 ppg 2.2 rpg 3.8 apg 0.5 spg 0.1 bpg
6’0” SG Chip Dye (Junior, Tennessee Martin) - 14.2 ppg 3.0 rpg 2.4 apg 2.0 spg 0.4 bpg
6’5” SG Dwayne Finger (Freshman, Western Illinois) - 13.0 ppg 3.5 rpg 1.6 apg 0.6 spg
6’7” C Aki Ohl (Junior, Lindenwood) - 12.9 ppg 5.5 rpg 1.7 apg 1.5 spg 0.3 bpg
6’6” SF Luke Rhodes (Sophomore, SIU Edwardsville) - 12.5 ppg 4.3 rpg 0.5 apg 0.5 spg 0.9 bpg
6’0” PF Derrick Hogue (Sophomore, Little Rock) - 12.5 ppg 5.2 rpg 1.3 apg 0.5 spg 1.2 bpg
6’9” C Ryan Trombley (Senior, Southern Indiana) - 12.4 ppg 6.6 rpg 0.8 apg 0.4 spg 0.7 bpg

[jksander]

JANUARY 2, 2025
Screaming Eagles Open OVC Season, Beat Hapless SIU Edwardsville 79-69

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- We didn’t learn much, as their opponent has now fallen to 0-12 on the season, but our 6-6 Southern Illinois mens basketball team beat SIU Edwardsville convincingly 79-69 this afternoon, leading by as many as 18. The Eagles played with their food a little today, which accounted for the score that was closer than it needed to be, but the win was convincing -- Southern Indiana outscored the Cougars in the paint 36-22 behind a solid performance from sophomore forward Travis Townes, who had 14 points eight rebounds an assist and a steal. While Ryan Trombley added 12 points three rebounds and a pair of assists.

The Screaming Eagles have now won three games in a row for the first time this season, and they have a favorable stretch upcoming, with just two road games in their next six matchups. They’ll play Western Illinois (7-5, 0-1) on Wednesday afternoon in Macomb.

JANUARY 4, 2025
Eagles Fall To Earth Against Leathernecks, Lose 86-73

MACOMB, Ill. -- Nobody said winning, even in this league, is ever easy. Southern Indiana learned this the hard way today against the Leathernecks, trailing most of the way as they lost by double figures against a Western Illinois team that is expected to fight for the OVC title this year. The Eagles were led by Matt Carson off the bench, as the junior guard put up 14 points with three rebounds and three assists, and they outscored the Leathernecks 34-24 in the paint, but in general they looked lost on the court in the second half as Western Illinois kept them consistently out of reach.

JANUARY 9, 2025
Golden Eagles Defeat Screaming Eagles 63-58 In First Southern Indiana Home Loss

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Southern Indiana’s struggles continued against the Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech, as the Screaming Eagles failed to find a way to comeback from a four-point halftime deficit, TTU improving to 3-0 in conference play with a hard-fought 63-58 victory. The opposing team led by as many as 13 early in the second half as Southern Indiana came out flat after the break. Ryan Trombley led the way with 12 points five rebounds and two blocks, while Michael Miller came off the bench with 11 points two assists and a block of his own.

The Screaming Eagles, who are now 6-8 with a 1-2 record against OVC opponents, will travel to play Eastern Illinois (7-8, 2-2) on Friday with a chance to regain their footing with a quality win.
 
JANUARY 13, 2025
Skid Continues, Southern Indiana Falls to Panthers 64-56

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Jermaine Timmons was the only Screaming Eagle to get into double figures scoring, putting up 10 points two rebounds and an assist off the bench as USI lost its third conference game in a row this afternoon. They were dominated 38-22 in the paint, losing their small early lead within the game’s first eight minutes, never properly recovering and trailing by as many as 12 points. Now 1-3 in OVC play, if their season is to be salavaged they’ll need to find ways to win games like this. Otherwise it’s going to be a long campaign for first-year coach Max Davidson.

JANUARY 18, 2025
Southern Indiana Picks Up Much-Needed Home Win Over Redhawks

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The first half was a back and forth battle, but after trailing 41-39 at the half, the Screaming Eagles of Southern Indiana took full control in the second, dominating in a convincing 83-60 beatdown of SE Missouri State. Sophomore guard Sebastian Brotherwon led the way for the first time this year with 16 points four rebounds and three assists, while Randy Sims came off the bench with 12 points three rebounds four assists and five steals as USI snapped a three-game losing streak, improving to 7-9 (2-3) and rising into a tie for sixth place in the OVC while the Redhawks dropped to 2-4, just a game out of last place.

JANUARY 20, 2025
Eagles Hold Tough to Beat Western Illinois 77-72, Improve to .500 in Conference Play

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- In a rematch against the Leathernecks, Southern Indiana won a tight battle, overcoming 19 lead changes and seven ties as they held on to win 77-72, splitting the series and improving to 8-9 (3-3) with a third Quad 3 victory. The Screaming Eagles capitalized on good inside shooting and some rare fast break opportunities, taking a four-point halftime lead and managing not to lose any ground in the second half. Jermaine Timmons led from the bench with 17 points two rebounds and a steal, while Ryan Trombley added 14 points and four rebounds. The Screaming Eagles remain in sixth place, but are within two and a half games of first in a league that remains wide open.

They’ll face their stiffest challenge of the season when first-place Lindenwood (13-5, 6-1) comes to town on Monday. The Lions have been remarkably efficient all season, though they have played 11 games at home already, tied with the Tennessee Martin Skyhawks for the least time spent on the road, a fact their #185 NET rating emphasizes. It’s a winnable game if they can keep their momentum, but USI won’t be able to coast if they want to come out on top.

JANUARY 23, 2025
In Blown Opportunity, Southern Indiana Home Game to Lions 76-68

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Southern Indiana blew a one-point halftime lead, leading by as many as two in the second half before collapsing as Lindenwood dominated down the stretch to win by a 76-68 margin, further cementing their status as the best team in the conference right now. Southern Indiana dominated nearly every phase of the game except the actual scoring of enough points to win, outscoring the Lions 42-20 in the paint, 16-4 off second chances and 8-4 off the fast break. But they couldn’t find an answer for senior guard Mike Knight, who put up 25 points and six rebounds in a real gem of a performance. Travis Townes led the Screaming Eagles with 16 points five rebounds and a pair of steals, while Paul Lampley added 13 points and seven rebounds as Southern Indiana slipped to 8-10 (3-4).

JANUARY 25, 2025
Inexplicable Road Loss To Tennessee-Martin Adds to USI’s Woes

MARTIN, Tenn. -- Against a team that can’t even crack the top 300 in strength of schedule this season, Southern Indiana coughed up a 72-57 road loss as their inability to capitalize on success continues. Paul Lampley led the team with 14 points three rebounds and two assists but he turned the ball over three times -- the team in fact turned the ball over 21 times, while the Skyhawks were much more careful with the ball, turning the ball over just 11 times while winning the fast-break battle 16-4. The two teams now have matching 3-5 OVC records, putting them in a five-way tie for sixth place, with only the miserable SIU-E Cougars (2-16, 2-5) lagging behind in the standings as we near the mid-point of the conference season.

JANUARY 27, 2025
Little Rock Remains Undefeated at Home, Defeats Southern Indiana 81-74

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Little Rock won its 10th home game of the season to remain undefeated on their home court, dominating from the opening tip as they beat Southern Indiana 81-74 as they improved to 10-10 (4-5), the most lopsided home vs. away record in the NCAA’s top division. It was another huge blown opportunity for our Screaming Eagles, as we failed to capitalize on numerous chances to take control late in the second half. Junior guard Henry Carlisle led with 12 points five rebounds and four assists, while Lamoni Humphrey, a freshman forward who has averaged fewer than nine minutes per game all year, played 16 minutes and put up 12 points two rebounds and a steal.

Midway through the OVC’s 18-game season, USI is now alone in 10th place (out of 11 teams) with an 8-12 (3-6) record, and at this rate even reaching double digit wins with nine games remaining may be asking a bit much of a team that has shown very little consistency throughout the season.

[jksander]

FEBRUARY 1, 2025
Eagles Defeat Tigers 83-66 to Snap Losing Streak at Three Games

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Southern Indiana roared out to a 13-point halftime lead and dominated the Tennessee State Tigers as they snapped their most recent three-game losing streak with an 83-66 victory at home. Ryan Trombley led the team with 18 points four rebounds and four assists, while Jermaine Timmons added 11 points five rebounds and a pair of blocks off the bench as the Screaming Eagles improved to 9-12 (4-6) moving back into a tie for sixth. Only the top eight teams in the Ohio Valley make it into the conference tournament, so these final eight games will be critical if the team wants to have any chance to play Cinderella this spring.

FEBRUARY 6, 2025
Carson Suffers Abdominal Injury, Southern Indiana loses at Morehead 71-64

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Backup guard Matt Carson injured his abdominal muscle early on in what became a seven-point loss against the Morehead State Eagles. Carson has averaged just shy of six points per game in a backup role and will miss at least the next week and a half. Morehead took an early lead but the Screaming Eagles of USI came out fast in the second half and briefly led before letting Morehead State take firm control down the stretch, leading USI by as many as 13 points late in the proceedings. Travis Townes led the team with 14 points six rebounds and an assist, while Ryan Trombley added 14 points two rebounds and a pair of steals. Freshman guard Michael Miller, who has averaged 5.4 points 1.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game off the bench, will take over Carson’s minutes while playing both point guard and shooting guard over the next couple weeks, and is expected to go from 13 minutes per game to closer to 20, a real chance to see how the young three-star prospect acclimates to added responsibility.

FEBRUARY 8, 2025
Lindenwood Lights It Up Against Southern Indiana, Wins Big 82-61

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- Lindenwood played tonight like they can already smell a chance at March glory, completely stifling the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles in an 82-61 blowout win. Southern Indiana never led, and only Ryan Trombley made it into double figures among starters, with 11 points five rebounds and three assists. It was Michael Miller, playing 20 minutes off the bench, who led the team with 14 points one rebound and one assist, and even a strong performance from the young up-and-comer wasn’t enough to spark any fire among the rest of his teammates. With six games remaining, time is running out if these Eagles plan to show they have any scream left in them. Three games remain in their current road trip, and then they’ll finish the season out with three at home.

FEBRIARY 13. 2025
Southern Indiana beats Tenn State 81-78 in Hard Fought Road Battle

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Southern Indiana won its 10th game of the season, defeating Tennessee State 81-78, overcoming a three-point halftime deficit in a game that featured nearly two dozen lead changes. Ryan Trombley led the way with 14 points six rebounds and a pair of blocks, while Paul Lampley added 12 points eight rebounds two assists and three blocks. USI led the way in the paint 42-24, and only turned the ball over 11 times, a significant improvement for a team that has struggled all year in that regard. The win keeps the Screaming Eagles half a game up on the Tigers with a 5-8 conference record, good currently for seventh place, but the battle for that eighth place spot is going to be fierce ... the Tigers currently hold it with their 9-16 (5-9) record thanks to tiebreakers over SE Missouri State with a 12-13 (5-9) record. With SIU Edwardsville and Tennessee Martin both trailing with four wins, it’s going to be key for the Screaming Eagles to get enough wins to stay out of that scrum.

FEBRUARY 16, 2025
Eagles Eke Out Close Win Over Redhawks 76-72

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- For just the fourth time all season the Screaming Eagles of Southern Indiana won back to back games, this time beating SE Missouri State on the road in a huge comeback. Trailing by nine at the half, they fought their way back into this one late, tying the game with three minutes to play and taking a lead shortly thereafter, one they would not relinquish. Henry Carlisle led the way with 15 points five rebounds two assists a steal and a block, while Jermaine Timmons came off the bench with 17 points four rebounds three assists and a steal.

FEBRUARY 20, 2025
Southern Indiana Loses Momentum with 75-66 Loss At Tennessee Tech

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- In their final road game of the season, Southern Indiana kept it close in the first half but blew an early second half lead to fall hard against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles this evening, dropping the game 75-66 after trailing by as many as 13 points. Jermaine Timmons led off the bench with 15 points two rebounds and an assist, while Ryan Trombley added 12 points four rebounds while turning the ball over five times and picking up four personal fouls. It was not the kind of effort you expect to see from a senior still hoping to have a March Madness experience as the team continues its transition into Division I, and the loss drops Southern Indiana to 11-15 (6-9), putting them right back into a three-way battle against Tennessee State and Tennesee Martin for the seventh and eight seeds come conference tourney time. They have three games remaining, all at home, so their chances remain solid. But they’ll have to find an extra gear if they want to extend their season.
 
FEBRUARY 22, 2025
Southern Indiana Stumps Little Rock 88-66 to Keep Tourney Hopes Alive

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The Screaming Eagles tonight kept Little Rock winless on the road, handing them their 12th road loss of the season in an 88-66 beatdown in Evansville as USI improved to 7-9 in OVC play with just two games remaining. The game stayed close through most of the first half, with half a dozen lead changes and the Trojans leading by as many as four, but Southern Indiana lead 34-26 at the half and never looked back, the winning margin being their largest lead of the game. Ryan Trombley narrowly missed out on a double double, leading the starters with 14 points nine rebounds and a block, but it was Jermaine Timmons who led the team ... in twenty minutes off the bench he put up 20 points with two rebounds three assists and a steal.

FEBRUARY 27, 2025
Eastern Illinois Stifles Eagles 65-52

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The third-place Panthers of Eastern Illinois came into Evansville and stumped the Screaming Eagles as USI lost a much-needed home win opportunity, losing 65-52 in a defensive bummer of a game. It was never close ... EIU led by 11 at the half and by as many as 21 before USI closed the gap moderately in garbage time. Jermaine Timmons led the team from the bench with 11 points two rebounds and two steals. Whether the team makes the tournament or not will depend entirely on the final game on their conference slate, the day after tomorrow against Morehead State (20-8, 13-4), who needs the win for a chance to clinch the tourney’s top seed. Tennessee State (11-7, 7-10) hosts Tennessee Tech (12-16, 9-8) and SE Missouri State (14-14, 7-10) will travel to Tennessee Martin (10-18, 6-11), after which the league will determine any tiebreakers and decide who gets those last two seeds. They could finish anywhere from 6th to 10th depending on how all the games play out. Win, however, and they’re in ... so if that doesn’t motivate a team to get it done nothing will.

MARCH 1, 2025
Southern Indiana Stuns Morehead State, Wins Defensive Slugfest 68-66

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- In another defensive battle with lead changes and ties all over the place, Southern Indiana’s players found a second wind in this one; trailing 36-46 after an 11-0 run by Morehead to start the second half, they battled back to retake the lead 57-55 with 7:38 to play, thanks to a mid-range jumper by Ryan Trombley. They led by as many as seven down the stretch, but Morehead had a chance to tie and force overtime, but instead they went for a game-winning three at the buzzer and missed it, giving the Screaming Eagles a 68-66 victory! It was a team effort for the home team, with Mike Brewer leading the way with 12 points two rebounds and three steals, Paul Lampley pitching in as well with 10 points eight rebounds two assists and three blocks.

The Screaming Eagles finish the regular season with a 13-16 record, winning eight games in the OVC to finish tied for seventh with the SE Missouri State Redbirds. Tennessee State won their final game of the year but wound up as the first team out, taking the ninth spot in the standings, ahead of Tennesee Martin (6-12) and SIU Edwardsville (5-13).

Final OVC Standings
1. Lindenwood (13-5, 20-9) -- NET: 67
2. Morehead State (13-5, 20-9) -- NET 58
3. Eastern Illinois (11-7, 16-13) -- NET: 93
4. Tennessee Tech (10-8, 13-16) -- NET: 227
5. Little Rock (9-9, 15-14) -- NET: 221*
6. Western Illinois (9-9, 16-13) -- NET: 109
7. Southern Indiana (8-10, 13-16) -- NET: 162
8. SE Missouri (8-10, 15-14) -- NET: 181
--------------------------------------------------
9. Tennessee State (7-11, 11-18) -- NET: 235
10. Tennessee Martin (6-12, 10-19) -- NET: 313
11. SIU Edwardsville (5-13, 5-24) -- NET: 357

* Little Rock won their first and only road game of the year, beating Lindenwood, of all teams, by a 72-60 margin on February 27. They finished 14-1 at home and 1-13 on the road.

[jksander]

For those unfamiliar with the structure of the Ohio Valley’s conference tournament, eight teams make the cut, but the third and fourth seeds get a bye and the top two seeds earn double byes. In the first round, two games are played -- a 5/8 matchup that leads into a fourth seed matchup and a 6/7 matchup that leads into a third seed matchup. So the bottom four seeds still have to play four games to win the league’s automatic bid ... a process which makes it much more difficult for an inferior team to sneak in and snake away a trip to the big dance from one of the league’s best finishers, properly rewarding teams for playing well in the regular season. Eighteen games should count for something, right?

- - - - -

MARCH 5, 2025
Southern Indiana Stumbles, Loses Tough Fight Against Western Illinois 65-63

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The Ford Center was rocking for forty minutes as the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles made their presence felt, but for thirty of those forty minutes they were fighting from behind. Trailing by three at the half and by as many as 13 as late as the final media timeout, the Eagles fought hard down the stretch and had a shot at overtime but couldn’t make their free throws when it counted, losing 65-63 and missing out on a chance to make some noise in this tournament. Henry Carlisle led the way with 16 points four rebounds and an assist, while Ryan Trombley played his final game in a USI uniform, putting up 12 points with nine rebounds and a steal. He, and next year’s graduating class, will be the last players to have played for USI at both the D-II and D-I levels, but this game was as close as he’ll get to tasting postseason glory. “At least I can say I laid it all on the line,” he told the Evansville Courier-Press after the game. “I loved playing for this team, guys like me play because we love the game. There’s no career in it, just a chance to keep playing as long as we can. I wish I had another season to do it all over again.”

MARCH 8, 2025
Leathernecks Reach End of the Road as Lindenwood Takes OVC Title

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The Lindenwood Lions will be the OVC’s representative in the NCAA Tournament, as they beat sixth-seed Western Illinois to win the OVC Title via a blowout 83-65 effort. Senior guard Mike Knight led the way for the Lions, putting up 22 points with three assists, while Junior center Aki Ohl dominated with a 16 point 11 rebound double double, adding on two assists two steals and two blocks for good measure. Lindenwood heads into Selection Sunday with a 22-9 record and based on their NET ranking is almost assured a 16-seed play-in spot. Morehead State, which lost in the Semifinals, has the 57th best NET rating but is almost certainly NIT bound, while Eastern Illinois (16-14, 83 NET) and Western Illinois (19-14, 95 NET) may sneak into a lower level tourney depending on other teams opting out.

- - - - -

Eastern Illinois made the CBT, the fourth tier tournament, while Western Illinois got into the third-tier CBI. Morehead State did indeed settle for a spot in the NIT, while Lindenwood surprised a lot of people by earning a 14th seed in the Milwaukee region of the NCAA Tournament, where they earned a matchup with third-seeded Villanova.

March 13, 2025: Morehead State lost its opening round NIT game against the Stetson Hatters, falling 87-79 in a tough defeat, but Stetson dominated most of the way and they were never really in it down the stretch. But in the first round of the CBT, Eastern Illinois had a powerhouse offensive run, absolutely destroying Omaha by a 111-91 margin, as Chris Neeser, their Senior center, had an incredible 36 point six rebound four assist performance.

March 14, 2025: Western Illinois and Rice faced off in the first round of the CBI, and the Leathernecks kept their strong run going by grounding the Owls 74-58. Their 6’5” freshman shooting guard Dwayne Finger was exceptional with 24 points a rebound and two assists, and if he doesn’t transfer out after this season for greener pastures, he’s going to be a dangerous force in this league next year.

March 15, 2025: Eastern Illinois faced off against Idaho State (17-14) in the second round of the CBT, and though the Bengals slowed them down, they couldn’t find a way to stop them. The Panthers overcame a 34-29 halftime deficit, dropping 45 points in the second half en route to a convincing 74-61 victory ... nice pivot, EIU! Chris Neeser, stepped up big again in this one, leading the team with 18 points seven rebounds and two assists. If he keeps playing well, they have a real chance to win this tournament!

March 16, 2025: There was no Cinderella finish for Lindenwood in the NCAA Tournament ... Villanova led by 12 points at the half but turned the game quickly into a rout, leading at one point by 41 points before garbage time let the Lions cut it to 33. The Wildcats gunned declawed the Lions 81-48 and easily advanced.

March 21, 2025: In the CBT’s Midwest Region Finals, Eastern Illinois took on the 21-12 Lehigh Mountain Hawks, and though they held a 32-27 lead at the half, Lehigh took firm control in the second half, stifling the Panthers defensively 66-60. Freshman forward Willis Foster led the team with 16 points four rebounds and two assists, while Chris Neeser added 14 points 13 rebounds and three steals in his final collegiate game.

March 22, 2025: In the CBI’s Eastern Region Finals, Western Illinois took on Norfolk State (22-10) and it was never even close. Norfolk State led by 19 at the half and coasted their way to the win, 81-62, so they’ll go to the CBI Finals next week, though nobody outside that game will likely care too much about it. Bryan Kimbrough, the Leathernecks’ senior power forward, led the way with 13 points two rebounds and a block, but they never looked confident and by the end it looked like they were ready to head back to campus and think about academics again.
 
March 30, 2025: The Oregon Ducks beat out Michigan State in the NIT Finals 67-56, a battle of teams that thought they were worthy of an NCAA spot but who had to settle for almost-ran status. It was an ugly game with absolutely no star power, and I’m pretty sure either of these teams would have been hard-pressed to do more than win an early-round game in the NCAA tourney. Oregon, at 25-11, finished fourth in a down year for the Pac 12, a season where Arizona and USC were the dominant forces and UCLA (which finished second) was an overachiever based on a strong non-conference slate. They can make a stronger claim than Michigan State, which finished fifth in the Big Ten and was only 11-9 in-conference, finishing 22-14 after picking up four NIT wins.

April 1, 2025: The Final Four featured a surprisingly “chalk” pair of matchups, as (3) North Carolina (29-9) took on (1) Kansas (31-6) and (2) Gonzaga (34-5) took on (1) Xavier (33-6) for a shot at their first title. The Jayhawks handled their business against the Tarheels with a 69-57 victory, led by a double double from five-star sophomore forward Ladrick Wright (16 pts 11 reb 4 blk), but for Gonzaga it was yet another year of getting deep into the tournament but proving unworthy in the end. This time around they spotted Xavier a 13-point halftime advantage and then spent the second half trying their damndest to claw it back. In the end they lost 87-80 to the Musketeers, playing in their first ever Final Four, who will now get a shot at a national title, led by five-star freshman forward Galen Barber who put up 26 points 10 rebounds five assists two steals and a block.

April 3, 2025: The two top seeds faced off in the championship game tonight, and the Xavier Musketeers stunned the Jayhawks with a 75-66 win for the school’s first-ever basketball championship! It was a great game all around, with nine lead changes and six ties, most of which came down the stretch ... but in the final four minutes the Musketeers took control from the line and never took their foot off the gas. Five-star junior forward Danny Thompson led the way with 23 points and eight rebounds, while Galen Barber put up a double double with 13 points 13 rebounds two assists a steal and four blocks.

April 9, 2025: Senior center Ryan Trombley led the team this year with 11.2 points 5.6 rebounds 1.2 assists 0.5 steals and 0.8 blocks per game, while our two top sophomores, Travis Townes and Jermaine Timmons, put up more than nine points each. Timmons will almost certainly have a starting spot next year, and with his athleticism I expect him to cover power forward and some minutes as our center as well, as Lavor Miles will have to adjust to starters’ minutes at center ... he only played six minutes per game this year, and that’s going to be a big adjustment replacing a guy like Trombley. Paul Lampley, our 6’8” small forward, will be back along with his 8.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, but there’s going to be a lot of room for others to step up as we work to not lose any ground in Max Davidson’s second season with the Screaming Eagles. Recruiting’s going to be a big deal, with five players set to graduate after the 2025-26 season. This year’s lone recuit, Morris Morin, has signed his letter of intent, and will be joining us in the fall.

May 1, 2025: Our recruiting budget to fill our five open scholarships will be just $18,500 this year, which will preclude us from paying for any scouting reports or traveling to any recruiting showcases. Anything outside of Indiana will be a no-go, and we’re going to have to be ruthlessly conservative about allocating our visits. But that’s the job at this level ... maximize results while spending as frugally as possible.

May 22, 2025: None of our players are transfering out, so that’s at least one thing we don’t have to worry about. Since we have no open scholarships, we will not be seeking anyone out in the transfer portal, reserving that option for next season should we not be able to fill all our open scholarship spots during the regular season recruiting period. We’re definitely going to need to recruit a couple big men, as our only center is graduating this year, and though we have four point guards, we only have one shooting guard and he’s graduating as well ... so that’s the other area we really need to focus on. If we can add another good power forward that’d be great as well, though that fifth spot may wind up being saved for a potential transfer next spring.

Morris Morin comes in looking incredibly solid ... our scout sees him as a two star player as a freshman, but with the potential to become a real star if we can keep him happy here in Evansville. Right now he could potentially start at SF or PF, or could play flex minutes at both positions coming off the bench depending on how fall practice goes ... but he’ll get minutes, that’s an absolute given.

[jksander]

September 18, 2025: We’ve made two huge signings for our recruiting class this season! The biggest is 6’8” three-star power forward Stacey Schueller, from Winchester, Indiana’s Winchester HS, who comes in ranked 384th nationally and 86th overall in the Midwest region. Schueller, who is averaging 14.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game with nearly two blocks a night, is an above average defender with excellent athleticism and scoring ability, particularly playing inside. He’s a decent rebounder but doesn’t necessarily handle the ball brilliantly at all times, but that just makes him a work in progress. He’s better overall than we had any right to expect from a signee at Southern Indiana, particularly since he chose us over Wisconsin, Indiana and Northwestern, his other top choices. He has a 3.8 GPA and, other than playing close to home, academics were his highest priority.

Our second signing is 6’10” center Terrance Raines, a 4.0 GPA potential valedictorian from Paoli HS in Paoli, Indiana, who comes in ranked 409th overall as a high-end two-star prospect. We were his top school from the word go thanks to his preference to stay local, but when UMass and Marquette tried to slip in late in the process, we won him over with the offer of immediate playing time -- and that was a no-brainer based on his scoring, rebounding and defensive abilities ... his athleticism overall will need work, but he’s an excellent inside scorer, and he’s averaging 14.5 points 8.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game for the Paoli Rams, who are off to a hot start this year and looking like an early favorite for a deep run in the class 2A state tournament.

September 25, 2025: We have our third signing of the season, 6’7” three-star power forward Michael Slater from Edinburgh, Indiana! Ranked just outside the top 500 nationally, Slater is averaging 16.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game and is a remarkably solid athlete for his size with the ability to score both inside and out. He passes well, though his handling overall is suspect, and he’s not a particularly adept defender. But he should more than make up for that with his long arms and ability to fight tenaciously for every rebound opportunity.

We have our non-conference schedule set now as well, and though it’s still a relatively brutal road setup, at least this year our AD kept those games in our region, though again we only have four non-conference home games:

11/14 - Northern Illinois
11/17 - @ Southern Illinois
11/21 - Illinois-Chicago
11/24 - @ Kent State
11/28 - @ Akron
12/1 - @ Missouri
12/5 - Texas State
12/8 - @ Loyola (IL)
12/12 - Eastern Michigan
12/19 - @ #24 Dayton
12/26 - @ #19 Butler

We’ll then open our OVC season with a home game against the Little Rock Trojans on January 2, 2026. Even though it is very early on in the process, our recruiting class is currently ranked 65th in all of Division I, with us and Morehead State leading the conference by a wide margin. So far we are the only school in the OVC with a three-star recruit incoming, let alone two!

October 2, 2025: Our recruiting success continues, as I’ve officially signed my first out-of-state recruit! Albert Deane, a 6’7” forward from Scottsville, Kentucky, gives us our second three-star recruit of the season, coming in ranked 364th overall and 80th in the Southern region. He chose us over Murray State and Belmont, who had each gone in hard on his recruiting, Another excellent inside shooter, Deane passes and rebounds very well for his height, but is questionable on defense and in overall athleticism. Still, as far as projects go, he’s one I’m definitely excited to have on our roster, and his 3.1 GPA will fit him in nicely with the rest of our academically minded student athletes. The way this class is developing, I’m hopeful we can develop a real team mindset and avoid the pitfalls of having to depend on the transfer market, as I suspect most solid transfers are more likely to want to move up levels than down to the OVC.

The addition of Deane to our recruiting class bumped our national ranking up to 62nd, and with three three-star recruits we now have a significant lead for best class in the OVC. We have one remaining scholarship offer out, but he’ll likely be a late signing if at all ... and if he passes, we’ll hold that final scholarship for use during next year’s transfer cycle.
 
November 13, 2025: Our roster has been set, and we’re just a day away from starting the new season. Here’s our starting lineup and the additional players I expect to see significant playing time:

PG - Henry Carlisle (6’3” Senior, Hammond IN) 5.7 ppg 2.8 rpg 3.8 apg 0.8 spg 0.6 bpg
SG - Mike Brewer (6’1” Senior, Richmond IN) 4.5 ppg 2.4 rpg 1.9 apg 1.0 spg 0.2 bpg
SF - Paul Lampley (6’8” Senior, Attica IN) 8.7 ppg 4.7 rpg 1.5 apg 0.6 spg 1.2 bpg
PF - Travis Townes (6’7” Junior, Centerville IN) 9.9 ppg 4.6 rpg 1.1 apg 0.9 spg 0.9 bpg
C - Jermaine Timmons (6’8” Junior, Gary IN) 9.5 ppg 3.8 rpg 0.8 apg 0.8 spg 0.4 bpg

Freshman forward Morris Morin is going to be our sixth man, playing 20-24 minutes per game across the two forward positions, while Junior guard Matt Carson will get around 16 minutes per game playing shooting guard as a backup to Brewer, who lacks big-minutes experience. Randy Potter, a Junior point guard, will be our backup at that position along with Senior center Leroy Miles who will cover backup minutes at that position. Those two players will get 8-12 minutes each, resting the starters as needed. Sophomore guard Michael Miller and Sophomore forward Rod Rodriguez will be redshirting this year, and nobody else on the team is expected to get any significant non-garbage time minutes.

[jksander]

NOVEMBER 14, 2025
Northern Illinois (0-0) @ Southern Indiana (0-0)

We opened our season with a solid win over the Northern Illinois Huskies, coming back from a seven-point halftime deficit to upend NIU 76-69. Jermaine Townes led the way with 15 points 10 rebounds and four assists, while Henry Carlisle had a great start as well with 16 points three rebounds and six assists, though he did get a bit sloppy and turned the ball over four times. Morris Morrin, in 21 minutes off the bench, put up eight points four rebounds three assists and a steal as well, a solid debut for the highly touted freshman. Once we took the lead we never looked back, leading by as many as nine points after trailing by as many as 13 midway through the first half.

NOVEMBER 17, 2025
Southern Indiana (1-0) @ Southern Illinois (1-1)

Tonight we lost a heartbreaker against the Salukis, squandering a 42-29 halftime lead on the road as they spent the entire second half chipping away, beating us at the buzzer on a three-point shot to cut our hearts out 78-77. There were five ties and eight lead changes in the game, and we led by as many as 15 points, but once they took the momentum away in the packed Banterra Center, there was no stopping them. They outscored us 36-26 in the paint and though we played a relatively turnover-free game, we didn’t get the calls down the stretch that we needed and we’re too inexperienced to know how to hold them off in such a pressurized situation. Lamoni Humphrey, an unheralded sophomore, played 25 minutes due to foul trouble and led the team from the bench with 15 points five rebounds three assists, while Morris Morin added 10 points four rebounds two assists two steals and a block ... in the end, our bench outscored theirs 46-26 but our starters struggled, only Travis Townes (11 points four rebounds) getting into double figures.

NOVEMBER 21, 2025
Illinois-Chicago (0-3) @ Southern Indiana (1-1)

We lost another close one tonight, dropping a 65-64 decision against the UIC Flames, in a game that was neck and neck the entire way. A virtual dead heat with nearly a dozen lead changes, we just couldn’t deliver in the final seconds with our fate in our own hands. One point losses are tough to handle, but we’re battling a hell of a lot harder than we did at this point last season. Morris Morin led the way off the bench with 15 points five rebounds and an assist, while Jermaine Timmons put up 12 points with eight rebounds and a pair of steals.

NOVEMBER 24, 2025
Southern Indiana (1-2) @ Kent State (0-2)

For the third game in a row we lost a one-point pitched battle, this time to Kent State on Thanksgiving afternoon by a 66-65 margin. This time we fought back from a 26-33 halftime deficit, fighting through multiple lead changes in the final eight minutes of play, leading by as many as six points but coming up one basket short of success. Travis Townes led the way with 14 points 10 rebounds and five blocks, a gargantuan performance from the Junior forward, and Paul Lampley added 10 points and six rebounds to the mix, but Kent State outscored us 24-18 in the paint and we turned it over 16 times to their 11 ... you just won’t win close games like this when you can’t handle the ball.

NOVEMBER 28, 2025
Southern Indiana (1-3) @ Akron (1-2)

We finally broke through tonight with a road win, though we continued to make it hard on ourselves ... building a 32-13 halftime lead on Akron and then slowly letting them attempt a comeback in the second half. Fortunately our defenses held, and they never got a lead (or even close, really), and we were able to put them away 59-50 after leading at one point by as many as 23. Jermaine Timmons dominated this one, leading our team with 23 points eight rebounds two assists and a block, while Morris Morin scored eight points with two rebounds and two steals while playing 23 minutes off the bench. Timmons is proving to be a worthy successor to Ryan Trombley, last year’s team leader, and could become one of the best players in the conference this season. In what is expected to be an OVC season in flux, we’re the early favorite to battle Lindenwood for the conference crown ... but we need to keep building the foundation.

DECEMBER 1, 2025
Southern Indiana (2-3) @ Missouri (2-2)

Our struggles in close games continued tonight, as once again we came up just one basket short of a chance for overtime or a win, losing to Missouri by a slim 66-64 margin. They led by as many as 11 midway through the second while we had several three-point leads throughout. But we couldn’t close the gap when we needed to most, despite a 16 point seven rebound two block performance by Jermaine Timmons, and a 15 point two rebound performance off the bench by Matt Carson. The loss drops us to 2-4 on the season through the first three weeks, and during that time our four losses have been by a combined five points.
 
DECEMBER 5, 2025
Texas State (3-1) @ Southern Indiana (2-4)

Finally we put a complete game together! The Bobcats aren’t exactly the cream of the crop athletically, but we got out to a quick start against them to build a 12-point lead at the half and then worked hard to expand that lead through the remainder as we pounded Texas State 82-63, our first double digit win of the season. Jermaine Timmons had another career night, putting up 28 points with seven rebounds an assist and a block, and Mike Brewer added 11 points five rebounds and five assists, easily one of his most complete starts yet. So far all our wins have been in the lowest quality Quad, but at this point we’re trying to keep our footing and all that matters is we start finding ways to win games like this more frequently than we choke them away down the stretch.

DECEMBER 8, 2025
Southern Indiana (3-4) @ Loyola (IL) (6-0)

Loyola has gotten off to an incredible start this year, with six wins including a 90-89 road win against Ball State ... their NET rating coming into this one was 2nd best in the nation, but they’ve yet to play a ranked team, so this felt like the kind of game we could play spoiler in. We got out to a quick start early on, building a 48-41 halftime lead, but again got bogged down in a back and forth battle down the stretch ... but this time we held tough and, in overtime, pulled out a signature 80-76 victory over the formerly undefeated Ramblers! Jermaine Timmons led with 19 points eight rebounds and three blocks, Paul Lampley added 17 points five boards and two assists, and Henry Carlisle put up 14 points with five assists and a steal. We actually beat them 10-2 off fast break points and won the turnover battle with 12 to their 17. And just like that we’ve got a Quad 1 win as we head into the final three game stretch of the pre-conference season.

DECEMBER 12, 2025
Eastern Michigan (4-3) @ Southern Indiana (4-4)

Eastern Michigan came into this game with the 19th best Net rating in the country, as our schedule ramps into gear. But we were emboldened by our huge win at Loyola, and came out in front of an energized home crowd and got out to another fast start. Up 40-36 at the half, we built on the lead early in the second half, and when they inevitably made their comeback, we held them off nicely and were able to get the 77-70 win. Though there were ten lead changes and nine ties through the game, we never let them lead by more than a pair, while we at one point held as much as a 13-point advantage on EMU. Jermaine Timmons dominated yet again with 21 points six rebounds an assist and a block, while Henry Carlisle added 16 points and seven assists.

DECEMBER 19, 2025
Southern Indiana (5-4) @ Dayton (5-4)

Dayton was preseason ranked and has stumbled to a disappointing start, while we struggled early but are now starting to really come into our own. It would have been easy to look ahead to next week’s huge game against red-hot Butler, but we saw this this for the potential trap game it was and came out of the gate with our defenses up. Dayton took an early lead, and still held it at the half 22-18, but the second half was a tightly contested affair that went back and forth numerous times as we jockeyed for position. In the end our defense beat them down and we were able to hold on and get out of Ohio with a 56-53 win, in a game where nobody on our team scored in double figures but yet the entire team stepped up. They held Jermaine Timmons to nine points five rebounds and four assists, but Paul Lampley grabbed 13 boards to go with his four points, and Travis Townes put up nine points, grabbed seven boards and added two steals and two blocks for good measure!

DECEMBER 26, 2025
Southern Indiana (6-4) @ #12 Butler (11-0)

We came into today’s game against the Butler Bulldogs while riding a four-game winning streak, the longest such streak since I took over as head coach. And with our conference looking incredibly weak from an SOS standpoint (right now seven of the 11 OVC teams have NET ratings of 275th or worse, and only our team and Little Rock are in the top 125) we need to build up all the good karma we possibly can for the committee to consider later. So we went into this one knowing we’ve lost to some bad teams but that we’ve stunned a few good ones too. So why not take down a potentially great one? It certainly didn’t look good in the first half, as Butler clamped down on us defensively and held us to 16 points in the first half, leading by a 13-point margin at the break. But we slowly clawed our way back through the second half, wearing the Bulldogs down with our tenacity, and the final four minutes of the game were a flurry of lead changes as we jockeyed for position. It looked like we were destined for overtime, knotted up at 58 with seconds to go, but Travis Townes hit his only three-pointer of the game as the buzzer expired, and just like that we’d stunned an in-state giant by a 61-58 margin -- that’s our first top 25 win at this level in school history, and we did it on the road! Jermaine Timmons led the team with 19 points six rebounds and three assists, but it’s Townes with his 10 points and nine rebounds that will live on in Screaming Eagle legends thanks to that epic three-pointer.
 
JANUARY 1, 2026
OVC PREVIEW: Southern Indiana Runaway Favorites to Dominate Weak Conference

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. -- Though Western Illinois and Southern Indiana both have matching 7-4 non-conference records, Southern Indiana comes into the conference season riding a five-game winning streak, including their stunning upset over the previously undefeated Butler Bulldogs in Indianapolis on the day after Christmas, and their four losses are by a combined five points. So they’re the team to beat in the conference, with the only NET ranking within the top 100 among OVC schools. Little Rock (6-5) and the Leathernecks (7-4) are the only other two teams with a NET inside the top 200, while SE Missouri State (4-7, #302), Tennessee Tech (4-7, #319), SIU Edwardsville (3-8, #330), Eastern Illinois (3-8, #335) and Tennessee-Martin (0-11, #359) are all having miserable seasons by any metric. With 18 games to be played against each other, we all know almost anything can happen, but this looks to be one of the worst top-to-bottom teams in the conference’s recent history.

Top OVC Players this season:

6’8” PF Erik Lockwood (Sophomore, Little Rock) - 19.4 ppg 4.8 rpg 1.1 apg 0.7 spg 0.6 bpg
6’8” SF Jake Cox (Freshman, Morehead State) - 18.0 ppg 4.3 rpg 1.2 apg 1.0 spg 0.6 bpg
6’4” SG Adam Sims (Sophomore, Western Illinois) - 17.3 ppg 3.7 rpg 1.9 apg 0.4 bpg
6’7” C Sam White (Freshman, Tennessee Tech) - 17.3 ppg 5.5 rpg 1.3 apg 0.5 spg 1.1 bpg
6’8” PF Jermaine Timmons (Junior, Southern Indiana) - 16.0 ppg 6.3 rpg 1.5 apg 0.8 spg 1.1 bpg
6’9” C Brian Hare (Junior, SE Missouri State) - 13.5 ppg 5.2 rpg 0.8 apg 0.5 spg 0.7 bpg
6’4” PG Travis Waddell (Senior, Tennessee State) - 13.1 ppg 2.6 rpg 3.9 apg 1.2 spg 0.4 bpg
6’7” PF Alan Canady (Junior, Tennessee State) - 11.6 ppg 4.9 rpg 1.8 apg 0.5 spg 0.6 bpg
6’8” PF Derrick Hogue (Junior, Little Rock) - 11.2 ppg 5.4 rpg 1.1 apg 1.3 spg 0.8 bpg
6’2” PG Jarni Collier (Junior, SE Missouri State) - 11.0 ppg 3.6 rpg 3.2 apg 1.4 spg 0.5 bpg
6’10” C Brad Stowers (Junior, Lindenwood) - 10.5 ppg 7.5 rpg 1.5 apg 1.0 spg 1.1 bpg
6’8” C Marcel Fields (Senior, Morehead State) - 10.1 ppg 5.1 rpg 1.2 apg 0.3 spg 1.9 bpg