Southern Indiana’s Post-Season

Screaming Eagles Play in the CBI

(Des Moines, IA) – When Southern Indiana made the move to Division 1 basketball the administration knew the NCAA and NIT Tournaments were off limits. So they made different plans to play post-season basketball. They had to earn it, but Southern Indiana’s post-season begins Saturday in Daytona.

USI (16-16) enjoyed a highly successful D1 rookie season. The Screaming Eagles were .500 overall and in Ohio Valley Conference play (9-9). Two Screaming Eagle players, Isaiah Swope and Jacob Polakovich were named first-team all-OVC players and Screaming Eagle Arena was filled with excitement.

Southern Indiana’s Post-Season – Why CBI?

Head coach Stan Gouard is a USI alum and loves coaching at his alma mater and he believed a post-season opportunity was important to his team’s development. Several things had to fall in place but Gouard says his team earned its way into the CBI.

 

 

USI faces a very good San Jose State team coached by Tim Miles. Mountain West Player of the Year Omari Moore is one of the best point guards in America and stands 6’6 tall. He is a three point threat and a very willing and capable distributor.

Gouard says the Spartans will be an extremely difficult opponent. The matchup between USI’s Polakovich and SJS’ center Ibrahima Diallo will be great theater.

 

 

Southern Indiana’s Post-Season – Preparations

While the OVC Tournament ended for USI March 1, Gouard knew this post-season opportunity was possible. He has stayed engaged with his team, but gave them several days off. So in recent days his team has been ‘sharpening the iron’, getting their legs back and recreating all those ‘muscle memory’ things.

(Go to Valley Hoops Insider Podcasts for our entire conversation)

Now that an opponent has been chosen, the head coach says he’s preparing his players for the next step in USI history.

 

 

Polakovich has been a team leader and a player that has helped establish the program culture Gouard wants in place. His ability to fight through injury and succeed at a high level has motivated his teammates. Gouard describes his admiration for his double-double machine.

 

 

Satisfaction? Well Kind Of

When asked about his satisfaction level with this season, Gouard simply says he’s a competitor and always wants to do better. While he sees the successes from the program’s first D1 season, he is hungry for more. There are things that make him smile about this season. His team’s togetherness, their passion for the game and their high work ethic impress the head coach.

Gouard says there were some key wins and team successes that made him smile.

 

 

Gouard’s team tips with San Jose State Saturday at 2:30 pm (CT). Win or lose, chalk this season up to a huge success for USI and the OVC.

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