LEBANON, Ill. – The No. 16 UIndy men's basketball team (15-2, 7-2 GLVC) fell one point shy of the century mark in a 99-91 win at McKendree Saturday evening.  Six Greyhounds reached double figures, led by 21 points from junior Joe Lawson.
 
Lawson amassed 18 points in the second half alone, helping the Hounds stay ahead of Mckendree for the final 30 minutes of the game.
 
After trailing by as much as 17 midway through the second half, the pesky Bearcats (8-8, 2-7) got a lay-up from Mike DiGregorio to whittle the deficit to six with two minutes to play.  A missed 3-pointer from UIndy followed, but Lawson was there for the put-back, sinking the lay-up while also getting fouled.  The Indianapolis native hit the ensuing free throw to make it 95-86 UIndy.
 
Now a three-possession game with just 1:44 on the clock, McKendree still had a puncher's chance, but UIndy delivered the knockout blow when junior Brennan McElroy stripped the ball from Mike Springs, then fired it down court to a streaking Leland Brown for a breakaway lay-up that all but clinched the victory.

"Obviously McKendree is a tough place to play," said UIndy head coach Stan Gouard.  "Their team is well coached, and they played with tons of energy throughout the game.  We were fortunate to escape with a victory.  Our captains and leaders deserve a lot of credit for remaining poised during their run down the stretch."
 
Overall, the Greyhounds compiled a .577 field goal percentage while turning the ball over just nine times.  It marked the third straight game they shot better than 50 percent while committing less than 10 turnovers.
 
"I love the way we are sharing the ball lately," Gouard commented.  Plus, having six guys in double figures makes our team tough to prepare for. "
 
Gouard continued: "I think we struggled a bit with our conditioning tonight and that caused some mental breakdowns.  I expected us to be a little tired because of the amount of games we've played over the past week, but we have to limit defensive errors with personel and game plan.  Those are correctable errors that will be addressed and taken care of as we plan for Lewis on Thursday.
 
"But overall I'm happy with the production and the mindset of this ball team, and I think our best basketball is ahead of us."
 
After tying the program record with 18 3-pointers in Thursday's win at Illinois Springfield, the Greyhounds continued to light it up from long range in Saturday's first half.  The Hounds fueled a high-octane opening period by sinking 9 of 12 shots from behind the arc.
 
During one six-minute span in the half, UIndy scored 21 consecutive points without a two-point basket.  The barrage helped turn a 22-21 deficit into a 39-29 advantage.  Sophomore Jordan Loyd started the flurry by hitting three straight triples.
 
UIndy finished the first half with a 54-42 edge thanks to 64-percent shooting from the field.  McElroy and Brown combined for 21 points on 9-of-10 shooting in the first 20 minutes.
 
Brown finished the game with 18 points and a game-high seven assists.  He missed just one shot on the night, going 7-for-8 from the floor and 4-for-4 from the line.  Senior Tyrae Robinson scored 15 points on 7-for-10 shooting, McEloy had 13 points and three steals, while Loyd added 12 points and five rebounds.
 
UIndy returns home to host a pair of GLVC-East rivals in No. 23 Lewis and division-leading Wisconsin-Parkside Thursday and Saturday, respectively.  Gouard realizes the magnitude of the next two games.
 
"This is a big week for UIndy basketball," said the sixth-year head man, "and I'm pleading to our fans to pack the gym and cheer on the home team.
 
"The set is for a great week of basketball at the Hall."
 
Tip time from Nicoson Hall Thursday is scheduled for 7:45 p.m.
 
 
Notes: The Hounds have scored 50 points or more in a half 11 times this season after accomplishing the feat just six times all last year … McElroy's first six points all came on dunks, including a pair of alley-oops from senior Reece Cheatham.