RENSSELAER, Ind. – The 20th-ranked UIndy Greyhounds put together a strong second half, earning a gritty 84-81 victory over in-state rival Saint Joseph's.

The host Pumas (8-9, 3-4 GLVC) shot over 55 percent from the floor, including a 9-for-17 clip from 3-point range, but down the final stretch it was the visiting Greyhounds (12-3, 6-1) that prevailed.

UIndy turned to senior Jordan Loyd to do much of the heavy lifting during crunch time, and he delivered by scoring the final six points for the Hounds on a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line.

On the defensive end, the outcome swung on a crucial stop with less than 20 seconds left with the Hounds up 80-79. SJC's CJ Hardaway drove on the right side of the lane, where he was forced to toss up a shot heavily challenged by senior Lucas Barker. Loyd grabbed the rebound, leaving the Pumas no choice but to put him on the foul line.

Loyd led all players with 18 points and nine rebounds, adding four assists.

Barker was often the catalyst when the Hounds needed an offensive spark, netting 17 points on an efficient 6-for-9 shooting to go along with 5 of 6 from the foul line.

"I see that we're in slumps and I just try to be more aggressive. I try to get my teammates involved and get them going," Barker said. He also had three assists, three rebounds and two steals while playing 35 minutes..

A shootout was to be expected from the Greyhounds and Pumas, who entered Monday fourth and fifth, respectively, in scoring among GLVC teams.

Saint Joseph's exhibited that propensity to score right out of the gate, knocking down nine of its first 12 shots and all four 3-pointers to race out to a 22-8 lead by the under-12 media break.

UIndy, on the other hand, hit only three of its first 12, but following the media break tore off a lightning-quick 10-0 run to bring the score within 22-18 by the 10:37 mark. Freshman Jimmy King and sophomore Eric Davidson hit back-to-back threes during the run, which forced Pumas Head Coach Tom Church to call a timeout.

Church's players responded, dissipating the Greyhounds' momentum with short 6-0 and 7-0 bursts shortly after the timeout to drive the lead back to double figures.

UIndy got within six when Davidson sank another triple with less than a minute remaining in the half, but on the other end Saint Joseph's Davious Webster sank his third 3-pointer seconds before the buzzer to give the home team a 45-36 halftime advantage.

The Pumas shot 18 for 32 overall and 7 for 10 from long range in the opening 20 minutes, compared the Hounds' 14-for-34 performance (4 for 10 on 3-pointers).

UIndy began the comeback immediately out of the locker rooms, going on a 10-4 run while hitting its first five shots.

The Greyhounds pulled within two when Loyd sank a 3-pointer at the 15-minute mark, and minutes later took their first lead since it was 2-0. Tyler Rambo put back a missed jumper while being fouled, making it 57-57, and his ensuing free throw gave UIndy the lead.

From there it became a heated back-and-forth game, with each side trading buckets and their share of the lead as the clock neared zero. All told, the second half featured nine lead changes.

It wasn't until Loyd and company delivered down the stretch that the Hounds completed their largest comeback of the season (14 points). Prior to Monday's win, the largest deficit the Hounds had overcome in a victory was six (twice, last against Missouri-St. Louis).

UIndy got contributions from the top of the roster all the way through. Senior Tyler Rambo finished with 13 points and three rebounds, and classmate Joe Retic totaled 11 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Freshman Jimmy King had nine points and two steals, while Davidson ended up with eight points and a pair of 3-pointers.

"This gives us more confidence going into the rest of our conference games, especially the bigger match-ups like Bellarmine and (Southern Indiana)," Barker said, regarding the contributions of several Greyhounds. "It also shows that the guys that come on the court can perform."

Despite a higher shooting percentage, Saint Joseph's was hindered by 21 turnovers that led to 25 UIndy points. The Hounds also recorded 13 second-chance points and 10 in fast break.

The Greyhounds return to Nicoson Hall later this week, hosting Illinois Springfield Thursday and McKendree Saturday. Tip-off Thursday night is scheduled for 7:45 p.m.