EVANSVILLE, Ind. – No. 12 Southern Indiana shot 51.7 percent from the field and Ohio Dominican couldn't find enough offense to answer, falling 71-48 Sunday afternoon at PAC Arena in non-conference play.

ODU falls to 1-1 on the year, while this was the season-opener for the Screaming Eagles.

USI knocked down 31-of-60 from the field, led by Brandon Hogg, who scored 30 points. Taylor Wischmeier also had eight boards to go along with 12 points to lead USI. The Screaming Eagles also held a 35-29 advantage on the glass.

The Panthers shot just 38.0 percent (19-of-50) and committed 17 turnovers. Senior forward Aaron Gibbs (Oberlin, Ohio) had seven points and a game-high 10 rebounds, sophomore forward Don Kellum (Chicago, Ill.) had a team-high nine points off the bench, and seniors Jake Mochoskay (Mansfield, Ohio) and Darrien Douglas (Willard, Ohio) both had eight to lead the Panthers.

Hogg scored 13 of USI's first 17 points as the Screaming Eagles built a 19-11 lead eight minutes into the game. ODU trimmed the deficit to 19-16 on a three by Mochoskay and a hook shot by Kellum, but USI answered with a 14-2 surge and opened up a 15-point lead at 33-18 with 5:23 left.

The Panthers responded with their own run, with buckets from Gibbs, junior guard Morgan Jones (Oberlin, Ohio), sophomore guard Zack Joseph (Lewis Center, Ohio) and a triple by Mochoskay, and trimmed the deficit to 37-27 at the break.

Southern Indiana scored the first five points of the half, part of an 8-1 run, building its lead to 45-28 at the 14:01 mark. ODU went 8:53 between field goals, until Douglas hit consecutive threes and sophomore guard Brandon Carr (Westchester, Ill.) had a putback layup to bring the Panthers to within 13 at the 11:43 mark.

USI pushed its lead back to 17, though, and maintained at least a 12-point edge for the remainder of the contest.

Ohio Dominican returns to action at 8 p.m. in the annual Red Roof Inn Basketball Classic in Alumni Hall as ODU plays host to Lourdes College.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu