Box score
INDIANAPOLIS- Junior Braxton Mills' layup proved to be the winning points in a thrilling 88-87 double-overtime Greyhound win at Nicoson Hall Saturday night. An energetic "Pack the House" crowd saw the Hounds continually battle back in regulation and each overtime period to post the important conference victory.
The Hounds (10-4, 4-2 GLVC) sprinted out of the gate and racked-up a swift 8-2 advantage behind leading scorer DeAndre Brock, who finished with 23 on the night. The senior had five quick points en route to 13 first-half points.
Bellarmine went inside to its big men, Dzaflo Larkai and Jamie Jackson to counter the Greyhounds. Larkai tallied a dozen in the half and Jackson scored seven in a 10-0 run to help the Knights turn a 24-all tie into a double-digit lead with two minutes left in the half.
BU (8-5, 3-3 GLVC) took a 38-29 margin into the lockerroom at the break.
The lead remained at ten until Tyke Cockerham (pictured) sparked an 11-2 UIndy run that would slice the lead to just a single point. Cockerham had a pair of layups and a triple in the stretch as the Hounds clawed their way back into a tight contest.
The Knights answered and reopened an eight-point cushion, but Cockerham again invigorated the crowd during a Hounds run. With a traditional three-point play, the junior put the exclamation mark on eight straight Greyhound points to knot the score at 58-58.
Larkai threw down a dunk with three minutes to go, giving BU a 64-60 lead. The teams traded empty possessions until Larkai putback a miss with :52 left for a six-point edge.
Keith Radcliff scored a layup and looked to have another quick bucket but it was waived off after an offensive charging call. Radcliff stole the ensuing inbounds pass and found Brock in the corner, where he buried a triple with :27 left.
Following two free throw makes by BU, Radcliff attempted to tie the score from the left wing but missed. Cockerham corralled the offensive board and hit Radcliff in the same spot where he calmly knocked down the tying shot.
BU managed to get off a three-point shot and a putback attempt, but both were off-the-mark, forcing overtime.
Myron Jackson hit a three from the top of the key as UIndy gained its first lead since the opening minutes at 71-70. The lead changed hands four times over the next three minutes. Reed Ludlow followed-up a Radcliff miss with a soft one-handed putback for a 75-74 UIndy advantage.
Jeff Wachtel came away with an offensive board and was fouled on his conversion for a two-point BU edge with 33.4 left. UIndy looked to score quickly and succeeded when Radcliff drove past his defender all the way to the rack tying the score with 16 ticks remaining.
BU's possession came up empty, despite a good look at a winner. A timeout with 1.7 seconds remaining allowed the Knights to draw up a potential game-winning shot. Chartrael Hall's leaning 15 footer caromed off the rim and the teams headed to double OT.
Cockerham countered each BU bucket and Jackson tipped in another as the score tied at 83-83. Larkai's layup with a minute left put BU back up two. Ludlow was the savior this time, rebounding a missed UIndy shot and scoring on the putback, drawing a foul. The senior converted on the free throw for an 86-85 Hounds lead and 44 seconds left in the second free session.
BU scored to regain the lead and Braxton Mills got his turn to get the home crowd on its feet. Cockerham passed up a jumper from the corner and drove the lane, drawing defenders in his path. Once there, he fed a perfect bounce pass to Mills, who was left alone underneath.
With four seconds left and another chance at a game-winner, BU went to Adam Brames, who couldn't get a solid look, heaving a desparation 18-footer that fell well short as the clock sounded.
The Hounds fended off a 50-28 rebounding margin by forcing 26 Bellarmine turnovers and committing just eight themselves. UIndy recorded 13 steals in the contest, led by four from Jackson.
Three different Greyhounds notched new career bests in points led by Cockerham's 20-point effort. Radcliff tied a personal best with 13 and Jackson added a dozen.
The Hounds hit the road this week as they visit SIU Edwardsville on Thursday and Quincy Saturday.
Notes: UIndy's last double-overtime game came back in the 2000-01 season, a 90-88 win over Wisconsin-Parkside at Nicoson Hall (Nov. 30, 2000), a span of 215 games ... 18 of Cockerham's 20 points came in the second half and overtime sessions.
