Box Score
INDIANAPOLIS -- Adrian Moss had 19 points, five assists, four rebounds and four steals to lead UIndy past Maryville, 83-66, at Nicoson Hall on Thursday night.
The Greyhounds (10-3, 3-2 GLVC) forced 20 turnovers by the Saints (8-5, 2-4 GLVC), including 12 steals, that led to a 30-13 lead in points off turnovers and 13-2 in fast break points.
"We got in the passing lanes and got a few steals to ignite our offense," head coach
Stan Gouard said. "We started making shots and make those guys defend us a little bit more. They started chasing us around and we got open looks."
Wilbur O'Neal added 15 points and
Cody Vest matched his career highs with 14 points and six rebounds, including a career-high four three-pointers and a dunk.
Jarrett Hamilton came off the bench with 11 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals.
The Greyhounds ended the game shooting 50 percent (27-54) from the field and 48 percent behind the three-point line with 13 triples, second-highest in a game this season. When Maryville didn't turn the ball over, they were able to shoot 56 percent (23-41) and made 9-of-21 three-pointers. UIndy also held control on the glass, 31-22, including allowing only two offensive rebounds.
Asa Toney led Maryville with with 12 points, while Mike Ford and Gerald Shaw each scored 10 points.
Maryville started fast by scoring 11 of the first 13 points and eventually built a 12-point lead, 19-7, with 11:32 to play in the first half. The Saints still led by 10, 24-14, with 8:55 left when UIndy started its comeback. UIndy used superior ball movement when Maryville doubled O'Neal in the post to go on a 13-0 run to take its first lead, 27-24, after Moss hit a three-pointer with 4:57 left in the half.
"We started guarding a little bit harder and taking away their open looks. Early in the basketball game, they got too many open looks and if you give Maryville open looks, they are going to knock them down," Gouard said.
Maryville scored the next basket, but then Moss found
Miles Mitchell for a three-pointer to start a 17-3 run in the final 4:11 of the half. UIndy closed the half with Hamilton stealing the ball when Maryville was playing for the last shot. He fed
Leland Brown on the fast break, who was fouled. He hit the first and missed the second, but Maryville couldn't control the rebound. With the ball back, Moss used a pump fake to force Maryville to foul him and he hit two free throws with 0.6 seconds on the clock for a 44-29 halftime lead. After trailing by 12, UIndy went on to score 37-of-47 points to end the half.
"We did a better job of reversing the basketball tonight and we got the ball inside a little bit more. We still haven't done a great job of getting it inside, but tonight O'Neal was drawing double teams and made some good passes," Gouard said. "Watching tape, you see what they do. They do a good job of packing it in, sort of like Bellarmine, and dare you to make open shots. Early on we were kind of confused, but we started making adjustments. We were thinking too much, instead of just playing, but we started to get the ball in the right people's hands and made some plays."
Less than four minutes into the second half, the Greyhounds were up by 20, 54-34, when Moss' steal led to a fast break lay-up for
Joe Daniels. The Saints made one last rally to close within 12, 61-49, with 10:30 to go. O'Neal scored the next six UIndy points, followed by three-pointers by Vest and Hamilton to push the lead back to 23, 75-52, with 6:57 left to end the threat.
The Greyhounds return to Nicoson Hall on Saturday to host Great Lakes Valley Conference West Division leader Missouri-St. Louis (11-3, 6-0 GLVC) at 3:15 p.m.
"We've got to watch some tape and start getting prepared for these guys," Gouard said. "It's going to be one of those situations where we need to be mentally prepared more than anything. It's a quick turnaround playing Saturday and Monday, so it's a mental thing right now, not physical."
