Monday, January 12, 2009
USI men’s and women’s basketball hosts Kentucky Wesleyan Thursday
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USI-KWC men’s game to feature a pair of ranked team The 8th-ranked University of Southern Indiana men’s basketball team will host the “Battle for the Bridge” game against 20th-ranked Kentucky Wesleyan College Thursday at the Physical Activities Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The Screaming Eagles have dominated the “Battle for the Bridge” since the 2003-04 season, winning the last seven contests for the trophy. The Eagles also have won eight of the last meetings with the Panthers, overall. The “Battle for the Bridge”, which was created in January 2001, was controlled by Kentucky Wesleyan during the first three years. The Panthers won five of the first six bridge games, later forfeiting two of the victories. Entering Thursday’s game, the Eagles (15-3, 5-1 GLVC) have won 14 of their last 15 contests and are tied for first in the GLVC West Division. USI has been perfect at the PAC this season, sweeping the first 12 of its 19-game home schedule. Leading the squad the last five games is new junior guard Jamar Smith (Peoria, Illinois). Smith, who had a season-best and game-high 21 points in last Saturday’s loss to fifth-ranked Bellarmine University, is averaging 15.6 points per game. USI junior forward Brandon Russ (Cincinnati, Ohio) follows Smith in the scoring column with 13.1 points per contest, while senior forward Anthony Pimble (Bronx, New York) is third with 12.1 points per game. Kentucky Wesleyan (9-3, 2-3 GLVC) fell below the .500 mark in the GLVC last week, losing its only game to Bellarmine, 69-48. The Panthers have lost their last two games since winning nine of 10 games. Since the first-ever meeting in 1975-76, Kentucky Wesleyan leads the overall series, 43-33. General public tickets, $10 for chairback seats and $8 for bench seats, are still available and can be purchased at the Department of Athletics on the second floor of the PAC or by calling 812/465-7165. Student tickets, free with a USI identification, will be distributed Wednesday in the University Center between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. USI women’s basketball hopes to get back on track at home The University of Southern Indiana women’s basketball team hopes to break a three-game losing streak Thursday when its hosts Kentucky Wesleyan College. Tip-off for the women’s game is 5:15 p.m. The Screaming Eagles (8-7, 1-5 GLVC) have not had much luck in the GLVC games, going 1-3 since January 1. Last week, the Eagles lost a pair of games, falling at home to top-ranked Northern Kentucky University, 62-48, and on the road to Bellarmine University, 77-58. For the season, USI sophomore guard Ellen Young leads the way with 13.1 points per game, while sophomore guard Lauren Meneghetti (Munster, Indiana) and sophomore guard Amie Newhart (Mulberry, Indiana) are dropping in 10.5 and 10.3 points per contest, respectively. The Panthers of Kentucky Wesleyan (7-7, 2-3 GLVC) had lost four of five games before winning on the road at Bellarmine last Thursday, 64-59. USI leads the all-time series, 39-24, since the first meeting in 1975-76. The Eagles also have won 12 of the last 15 meetings since 2000. Ray Simmons Sports Information 812/465-1622 or rsimmons@usi.edu |
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