Game Notes (PDF)

Date: January 12, 2021
Time: 3:00 PM
Location: Bolivar, MO 

Bolivar, Mo. - Following the postponement of the McKendree game due to COVID, SBU's (6-1, 6-1 GLVC) game against Southern Indiana (3-2, 3-2 GLVC) originally scheduled for February 11 has been moved to January 12. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 PM in Bolivar.

SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
SBU opened the season 1-1, defeating Missouri S&T and falling to nationally ranked Missouri-St. Louis on the road. In their home opener against Rockhurst, Mitch Ganote had a near triple-double which led the Bearcats to a 91-83 victory and kicked off a five game winning streak. SBU has since defeated William Jewell twice, former MIAA foe Lindenwood, and Indianapolis. Against the Greyhounds, the Bearcats trailed by 11 points multiple times, but completed the comeback with a 64-58 win.

On the season, SBU is shooting 49.7% from the field and 78.8% at the free throw line, both ranking second in the GLVC. Their scoring margin is the best in the conference at +9.1. The Bearcats have been playing stellar defense, holding their opponents to a conference leading 40.3% from the field. Brady Smith leads the team in scoring at 16.6 points per game (10th GLVC). Mitch Ganote has an assist/turnover ratio of 2.38 (6th GLVC) averaging 4.43 assists per game (7th GLVC). He is also shooting 59.2% from the field (5th GLVC).

The Bearcats are coming off their best season in program history since 2009-10. Last year, the Bearcats finished 20-9 (13-7 GLVC). In the regular season rankings, the Bearcats finished fourth out of the sixteen GLVC teams. They upset #12 Southern Indiana and #1 Bellarmine both on the road, and defeated Drury at home for the first time in eight years. Eight players return from last year's roster. Second team All-GLVC honoree Brady Smith returns for his senior campaign. Two other starters from last season also return in juniors Quinn Nelson and Joe Miller. Sophomore Mitch Ganote was SBU's sixth man last season, and will play quite a bit during the 2020-21 season. The Bearcats will see several other new faces make an impact as well.

SCOUTING THE SCREAMING EAGLES
The Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles (Evansville, IN) head into Tuesday's matchup with a 3-2 (3-2 GLVC) record. They began the year with a 70-81 loss against Rockhurst, then picked up their first victory in a 30-point stomping over William Jewell. Ending 2020 on a high note, the Screaming Eagles defeated McKendree 81-70. The new year began with a tough loss to nationally ranked Truman State 69-76, but bounced back in their most recent competition against Quincy, 83-77. USI has four players averaging double digit scoring, Emmanuel Little leading the way at 17.6 points per game on 54.4% shooting. He is also averaging 8.4 rebounds per game and has 5 blocks on the year. Josh Price is second in scoring at 16.0 points per game, and leads the team in rebounding with 10.6 rebounds per contest.

THE COACHES
SBU head coach Clark Sheehy begins his seventh season on the SBU bench after compiling an 82-92 (45-73 conf.) record while at SBU. Coach Sheehy holds a career coaching record of 264-198 across fifteen seasons while coaching six different All-Americans and over 40 athletes that have moved on to play professional basketball.

Stan Gouard begins his first season with Southern Indiana after spending 12 seasons with the University of Indianapolis. In those 12 seasons, Gouard led the Greyhounds to 8 NCAA DII Tournament appearances, a number one ranking, and was named 2014 GLVC Coach of the Year.

ALL-TIME SERIES
The series between the Bearcats and Screaming Eagles is tied at 1-1. After a loss in the 1993-94 season, SBU upset USI on their home court last season. The #12 nationally ranked Screaming Eagles fell to the Bearcats 69-71 in early January of 2020. In that game, Brady Smith scored 19 points on 7-13 shooting from the field, adding 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals.