Box Score
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. -- Adrian Moss led all players with 26 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals to lead UIndy men's basketball to an in-region road win over Ferris State, 88-71, at Jim Wink Arena.
Reece Cheatham added 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals for the Greyhounds (8-2) against the Bulldogs (7-5), a final 16 team in last year's NCAA Tournament.
Wilbur O'Neal recorded his third double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds, while
Miles Mitchell connected for 12 points.
The Greyhounds shot 50.8 percent overall (31-61) and made 9-of-18 three-pointers and 17-of-20 free throws (.850). The Greyhounds also out-rebounded Ferris State, 39-31, which came in as the best offensive rebounding team in the GLIAC. That led to an 18-8 advantage in second-chance points.
"We did a great job on the boards," head coach
Stan Gouard said. "A lot of credit goes to our guys of accepting the game plan. We did as good a job tonight executing game plan as we have all season."
UIndy limited Ferris State to 29 percent three-point shooting (7-24) on the way to a 42 percent night (24-57). The Bulldogs also struggled at the free throw line (16-27, .593).
Still leading by eight, 45-37, with 15:58 to play, the Greyhounds put together an 18-7 run to stretch its lead to 19, 63-44, with 10:02 to play after
Miles Mitchell connected from well-behind the three-point line.
"The past couple of days we focused on getting Reece and Miles more shots because it can't just be Moss and Jarrett and O'Neal," Gouard said. "I thought all of those guys really found our shooters, which stretched the defense out to make it hard to guard us in the post."
The Greyhounds jumped out to an 8-2 lead after
Joe Daniels scored inside on a feed from Cheatham and the lead remained at eight, 15-7, with 13:53 to play after Moss' steal led to a fast break lay-up by Hamilton.
The Bulldogs fought back to take the lead, 20-15, with 7:03 to go in the half as part of a 13-0 run. UIndy responded with seven points in a row to start an 18-2 run to put the Greyhounds up 11, 33-22, with 2:03 left in the first half. Ferris scored five in a row, but Hamilton's put-back just before the horn gave UIndy an eight-point lead, 35-27, at halftime.
"I think we started guarding a little bit better to stretch the lead in the first half," Gouard said. "I called a timeout and talked about getting stops again. A lot of credit goes to our seniors tonight and we got balanced scoring, which is when we are at our best."
UIndy remains on the road to resume Great Lakes Valley Conference play in 2012 against Illinois Springfield on Jan. 5 and Quincy on Jan. 7.
