INDIANAPOLIS – The UIndy men's basketball team turned in a superb defensive effort Saturday afternoon, leading to an impressive 81-66 victory against the 12th-ranked Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles in Nicoson Hall.

Facing their second straight nationally ranked opponent, the Greyhounds (11-8, 8-3 GLVC) shut down the usually-prolific USI offense, limiting the Eagles to a season-low 34.3 percent (23-67) from the field and 30.8 percent (8-26) from 3-point range.

The No. 12 Eagles (19-2, 9-2) entered Saturday's East Division bout averaging a GLVC-best 93.4 points per game, but failed to reach 70 points for the first time this season, and lost just their second game of the year.

UIndy, meanwhile, utilized the highly-efficient offense that helped it win seven games in a row to start 2017. The Hounds shot above 61 percent overall (30-49) while hitting nearly half of their threes, and finished with 32 points in the paint and 17 in fast break.

Sophomores Jimmy King and Jesse Kempson scored 19 apiece – good for King's new career-high. Three others finished in double figures, including juniors Roderick Davis (13 points), Eric Davidson (12) and Alex Etherington (11).

Kempson and King got the afternoon started for UIndy on offense, combining to score the team's first 14 points while each knocking down a pair of 3-pointers as the Hounds controlled an early advantage.

A 9-0 USI run brought the visitors back from a six-point deficit, as they grabbed a 23-18 lead by the eight-minute mark. But the Hounds responded with their own 12-0 sprint toward the end of the half, in which junior Eric Davidson scored seven points to help UIndy regain the lead for good.

The Greyhounds eventually carried a 38-35 advantage into the halftime break, shooting an even 60 percent (15-25) overall while hitting 6 of 10 first-half threes.

Head Coach Stan Gouard must have re-emphasized defense during his halftime speech, because his squad locked down USI for stretches at a time, in the final period allowing the Hounds to quickly push their lead up to double digits
USI hit only 4 of its first 18 field goal attempts to begin the period, and it wouldn't get any easier for the visitors.

After a Roderick Davis layup with 7:30 on the clock, UIndy had its biggest lead at 65-49. Not long after, the Hounds' advantage swelled to an even 20 points, a noteworthy feat against a USI side that has won by an average of 20 points this season.

A major factor in the runaway decision was UIndy's defense on Eagles junior Jeril Taylor, a GLVC Player of the Year candidate who leads the conference in scoring. After 14 first-half points, Taylor managed only two points for the first 19 minutes of the half, only adding to his total once the game was out of reach.

King's personal-best 19 points came on an efficient 7-for-11 shooting effort, including 3 of 4 from deep. He also recorded five assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals.

Kempson went 6 for 10 overall and 3 of 5 from long range, leading the Hounds with seven rebounds.

For Davis, a Wright State transfer, Saturday's win was perhaps his most complete game of the campaign. The 6-9 forward finished with a season-high 13 points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting clip, adding three rebounds, three blocks, two assists and a steal in 21 minutes.

UIndy will look to build on Saturday's win next week on the road, although the competition does not get much easier. The Hounds travel to face the top two teams in the GLVC West Division, Truman on Thursday night and Quincy the following Saturday.