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UIndy Athletics

Hamilton & O'Neal
Kevin Lillard

Men's Basketball Matt Holmes, Assistant A.D. for Media Relations

Basketball comes back from big halftime deficit to shock No. 8 Southern Indiana

Jarrett Hamilton (left) and Wilbur O'Neal are all smiles after UIndy's comeback win over No. 8 Southern Indiana.
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INDIANAPOLIS --
UIndy men's basketball came back from 14 down at halftime and 11 points with 7:13 to go to shock No. 8 Southern Indiana, 65-59, in front of 1,313 at Nicoson Hall on Saturday evening.

The Greyhounds (16-5, 9-4 GLVC) swept the season series from the Screaming Eagles (17-4, 9-4 GLVC) for only the second time in school history and the first time since the first season of the Great Lakes Valley Conference, 1978-79. This also marks the fourth win this season by the Greyhounds against a top 10 opponent (#1 Bellarmine - Dec. 1; at #7 Southern Indiana - Jan. 19; at #1 Kentucky Wesleyan - Jan. 21).

Brandon Hogg hit a three-pointer to keep USI up double digits, 56-45, but didn't make another field goal for the final 7:13 of the game as UIndy's defense stiffened. Jarrett Hamilton and Adrian Moss followed with back-to-back three-pointers to begin the comeback. After two free throws by Southern Indiana, Hamilton scored five more points in a row and his blocked three-pointer landed in the hands of Wilbur O'Neal for the tying lay-up, 58-58, with 2:42 to play.

Hamilton was clutch the entire second half as he hit his first nine field goal attempts, including four three-pointers, on his way to a game-high 22 points, all in the second half.

"Second half, I just knew I needed to do whatever I could for my team and today that was scoring," Hamilton said. "It was just in the flow of the game. I knew the first shot looked good and I just needed to follow through and they would fall for me."

"Jarrett has more confidence than anybody on this basketball team and he came in and got a lot of good shots up today in practice and as a result he made some shots tonight," head coach Stan Gouard said.

UIndy forced a turnover and had a chance to take the lead, but coughed the ball back up for a USI fast break. UIndy was called for an intentional foul, but Kenyon Smith missed both free throws. UIndy then fouled again, but Isaac McClure made just one to put USI in the lead, 59-58, but then Reece Cheatham came up big.

After missing most of the second half due to foul trouble, Cheatham set up on the following possession with a pump fake to get free and then buried a three-pointer on the wing. That gave UIndy its first lead, 61-59, since it was 12-11, with 91 seconds to go. Cheatham then hit 4-of-4 free throws in the final 36 seconds on his way to 12 points.

After being held to only 6-of-29 field goals (.207), including 1-of-11 three-pointers, in the first half, UIndy totally reversed itself in the second half. The Greyhounds made their first nine field goals on the way to shooting 76.2 percent (16-21), including 7-of-9 three-pointers. UIndy was also clutch at the free throw line, 13-of-16, for the game, while Southern Indiana continued to struggle (7-13).

"Our halftime was pretty intense in the locker room," Gouard said. "I rode them pretty hard and got some guys attention. I've been kind of mild-mannered this year, but I lit into those guys pretty hard and it woke them up. Everybody got a piece of it, even the guys in dress clothes. That's why we came out with three minutes to go.

"Thankfully, we started making shots and we got some stops to come out with the win. This is a great program win and I'm happy with the outcome, especially after Thursday night (loss to #7 KWC, 84-67)."

After converting at a 42 percent clip in the first half, USI was held to 35.7 percent in the second half (10-28), including 0-of-8 field goals, 3-of-6 free throws and four turnovers as UIndy finished the game on a 21-3 run in the last 6:55.

"We really buckled down and I think (Adrian) Moss was the one that initiated it because he came in the huddle and wanted to take Hogg and shut him down," Hamilton said. "When he said he was going to shut down the best player, everyone else said I want to shut down my man. Wilbur (O'Neal) said he wanted to shut down his man and get every rebound and when we saw that, we all picked it up as a team."

The game was close in the first half with UIndy holding the lead, 12-11, after a jumper by Moss in the paint with 10:30 to go. The Greyhounds wouldn't score another field goal until O'Neal converted inside with 1:10 to play in the half to stop a 21-4 run by the Screaming Eagles. O'Neal was the offense in the first half with seven of UIndy's 18 points as he went on to record his fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

"Wilbur did a decent job tonight of keeping his composure and not getting upset," Gouard said. "Once they blocked a few of his shots, I think it woke him up a little bit and made him mad and I like when he plays mad."

Southern Indiana was led by Hogg with 20 points, but none in the last 7:13, while Isaac McClure added 13 points and six rebounds.

The ledger doesn't get easier for UIndy as they conclude the season with four of its last five on the road starting next week at No. 15 Northern Kentucky on Thursday and No. 1 Bellarmine on Saturday. A fan bus is available for the Bellarmine game for $10 (includes ticket and transportation). Contact Jackie Paquette to reserve your spot.
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