UIndy Greyhounds vs Lake Erie Storm
Friday, Nov. 13, 5:30 pm ET, Kates Gymnasium
live stats | audio | game notes

UIndy Greyhounds at Ashland Eagles
Saturday, Nov. 14, 3:00 pm ET, Kates Gymnasium
live stats | audio | game notes

OPENING TIP
Following a pair of exhibitions, the 2015-16 regular season officially tips off with two regional contests in Ashland, Ohio, at the Holiday Inn Exempt Tournament. The 8th-ranked Greyhounds first meet Lake Erie Nov. 13 at 5:30 p.m. in Kates Gymnasium, and follow Nov. 14 at 3 p.m. against host Ashland.

HOW TO TUNE IN
Both games will be broadcast on 88.7 WICR and will have live stats provided. All links are listed above.
 
ABOUT THE STORM
Lake Erie is led by Cliff Hunt, who's entering his 11th season on the Storm sideline. Under Hunt, LEC has set program records for most wins in a season (25) and fewest losses (3), while making two NCAA Tournaments (2006, 2007). Since jumping from D-III to D-II in 2008-09, Hunt and the Storm are 34-88 (.278).
 
The Storm lose their leading scorer from 2014-15, but return a balanced lineup otherwise. Every other player that saw action last year is back, including Andy Bosley (12.0 ppg) and leading rebounder Nick Wells (4.3 rpg). All told, LEC brings back seven players that played at least 15 minutes per game a season ago.
 
Lake Erie is a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and part of the Midwest Region.
 
GREYHOUNDS VERSUS STORM
UIndy and LEC have met only twice, although the two affairs came within 13 days of each other. After dropping a heartbreaking 54-53 decision on a last-second tip in at Lake Erie back on Dec. 6, 2009, the Hounds returned the favor with an 83-55 drubbing when the Storm visited Nicoson Hall on Dec. 19, 2009.
 
ABOUT THE TIGERS
Ashland head man John Ellenwood is coming off his best season with the Eagles, going 19-10 and earning the program's first GLIAC Tournament berth in three years. He's entering his seventh season with Ashland and 10th overall.
 
Junior forward Wendell Davis figures to be the Eagles' go-to guy again this season, after averaging 17.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game last year. He also converted over 56-percent of his field goal attempts, earning two All-Region second team nods (Daktronics, NABC) and an All-GLIAC First Team selection.
 
Other than Davis, Ashland returns starters Boo Osborne (22.8 mpg) and Michael Hundley (10.8 mpg).
 
Ashland is a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and part of the Midwest Region.
 
GREYHOUNDS VERSUS EAGLES
Despite close proximity and a common region, Ashland and UIndy have not met in over 20 years. The Eagles hold an 18-15 all-time series lead, each match taking place between 1980 and 1995. Three games in the series have gone to overtime, and 22 of the 33 have been decided by 10 points or less.
 
The Hounds won the last matchup, 95-85, in Nicoson Hall back on Feb. 11, 1995.
 
PUTTING ON AN EXHIBITION
Last week the Greyhounds hit the road for a pair of exhibition games against Division I opponents Valparaiso (Nov. 3) and Auburn (Nov. 5) in preparation for the 2015-16 regular season.
 
Against the Crusaders UIndy nearly erased an early 14-point deficit, pulling within three points with 30 seconds on the clock. The defending Horizon League champs held off the Hounds, however, escaping with a 75-67 win. Four Greyhounds finished in double figures, led by 14 each from Jordan Loyd and Tyler Rambo.
 
Thursday, UIndy nearly knocked off the Auburn Tigers in a shootout that featured 223 combined points, 90 free throws and 55 three-point attempts. They needed an overtime session, but the Tigers - led by Gouard's former coach Bruce Pearl - came away with a narrow 114-109 victory. Loyd and Eric Davidson finished with 33 and 31 points, respectively, and Alex Etherington added 19 off the bench.
 
A LITTLE HOME COOKIN'
Several individuals stood out in UIndy's near-victory at Auburn, one being senior leader Jordan Loyd, who was playing just a couple hours from where he called home as a high-schooler. The 6-3 guard from Milton High School led all scorers with 33 points, doing much of his damage from the free throw line by hitting 17 of his 18 attempts. He added 10 rebounds, finishing with two double-doubles in as many exhibitions last week.
 
Loyd's free throws came early and often, but none were more crucial than the four he sank in the final 50 seconds of regulation. With UIndy down 100-96, he hit a pair of freebies on consecutive possessions to force the overtime period.
 
MAMA, THERE GOES THAT MAN
Sophomore Eric Davidson also had a remarkable night in Auburn Arena, finishing with 31 points behind an 8-for-13 effort from 3-point land. During one stretch in the second half he knocked down three triples in 73 seconds. Auburn denying him a 3-point attempt over the final 13 minutes went a long way toward helping the Tigers escape with a win in OT.
 
That type of shooting touch is nothing new to the Fishers, Ind., product. Davidson went 8-for-11 from long range in UIndy's 100-87 victory over the University of Western Ontario earlier this fall. He finished his freshman season an even .500 (21-42) from deep, and even won the 2014 American Family Insurance High School Three-point Championship in Dallas, Texas.
 
GOUARD VS. THE GLIAC
Since taking over as Head Coach in 2008-09, Stan Gouard is 15-6 against members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, including both regular season and NCAA Tournament games.
 
PRESEASON RECOGNITION
Thanks to a 25-6 record and appearance in the NCAA "Sweet 16" last season, Stan Gouard's squad enters the 2015-16 campaign with high expectations. The Greyhounds start the season as a top-10 team after earning the No. 8 spot in the NABC/Division II preseason coaches poll. Other GLVC and Midwest Region opponents appearing in the poll include Bellarmine (GLVC, No. 4), Drury (GLVC, No. 16), Alderson-Broaddus (G-MAC, RV), Lake Superior State (GLIAC, RV), Ferris State (GLIAC, RV), Kentucky Wesleyan (G-MAC, RV) and Michigan Tech (GLIAC, RV).
 
The Crimson and Grey appear in other national polls, as well, coming in ranked No. 12 in the Division II Bulletin Preseason Top 25 and No. 11 in the HERO Sports D2 Top 25.

HITTING THE CENTURY MARK
The University of Indianapolis men's basketball program officially turns 100 years old this season, celebrating the Greyhounds' inaugural 1915-16 season. In honor of hitting the monumental mark, each game preview will feature a men's basketball historical fun fact.

Angus Nicoson - for whom Nicoson Hall is named - recorded 483 wins on the Greyhound sideline from 1947-79, nearly 300 more than any other coach in program history and good for over 37-percent of UIndy's 1,301 victories. In his 29+ years as head coach, Nicoson finished with a losing record only three times.