3 things we learned from USI men's basketball's loss to Saint Louis in opener

The University of Southern Indiana men’s basketball team held its own against Saint Louis to open a new college season on Monday night.

The Screaming Eagles battled to a 75-63 loss, but they had moments when they looked like they could have made it more of a game than it was. Had USI been with Xavier McCord and Nolan Causwell, some things could have played out more favorably.

There’s something to build from for coach Stan Gouard. The Eagles have potential and the pieces they need to be competitive in the Ohio Valley Conference. They held the Billikens without a field goal for the final four minutes of and had chances to cut into SLU’s lead after trailing by 24.

Here are some key takeaways.

Jordan Tillmon looks to be the primary shottaker

Tillmon finished with a team-high 15 points on an inefficient 15 shots. That being said, he took the most for USI and played 29 minutes off the bench. Ryan Hall, who redshirted last season, took 11 shots and finished with six points.

The Florida A&M transfer was a high-usage player for the Rattlers last season and looks to be in a similar situation with the Eagles this time around. He was often the most important player for FAMU and was largely the same Monday. Hall was the only player who saw the floor more than Tillmon.

Tillmon seems to be the player USI will go to when it needs a bucket. If he can find consistency in his shot, he could be a factor in the OVC.

USI needs to get to the line more

The Eagles’ free-throw woes were well-documented last season. They ranked 319th in freebie percentage last season. USI shot 62.5% from the stripe in St. Louis but only had eight attempts.

Conversely, Saint Louis had 28.

More: Things to know as the UE and USI men's basketball teams begin their 2023-24 seasons

Jack Campion and Kiyron Powell both fouled out, while Jack Mielke and Javius Moore each had three fouls each.

Officiating can be a dicey subject. Regardless of that, the Eagles need to get to the line more and keep opponents away from the freebies.

Defense had bright flashes

Gouard has preached the importance of USI’s defense throughout the offseason. The Eagles’ schedule, which boasts two preseason top-five teams in the coming weeks, requires such. USI had moments of showing it had that capability against the Billikens.

Campion had the team’s only two steals, but Jeremiah Hernandez, AJ Smith, Powell, Tillmon, Moore and Mielke combined for eight blocks. Causwell could add to that number when he's ready to play. The Eagles held Saint Louis scoreless for stretches and threatened to get back into the game, but some Billiken runs put it out of reach.

Defense will need to expand on that effort at No. 4 Michigan State (0-1) on Thursday as the Spartans come off an upset loss against James Madison.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: 3 things we learned from USI men's basketball's loss to Saint Louis