ST. LOUIS – For the second game in a row the UIndy men's basketball defensive effort earns the headline, as the Greyhounds locked up Maryville in the second half of a 69-59 victory in Maloney Arena Saturday afternoon.

After setting the season's standard on defense Thursday at Missouri-St. Louis, the Hounds (5-7, 2-2 GLVC) turned in an equally impressive performance against the host Saints (7-10, 1-4) to string together their first winning streak of the year. This also came against a Maryville team that dropped 105 points in their Thursday night win.

UIndy's strongest stretch on "D" came when it mattered most. Up 14 at the half, the Hounds saw their lead slip away as the Saints got within one possession at 50-48. That's when the switch flipped.

For more than nine minutes – from 11:08 on the clock until 2:03 – the Hounds surrendered just one field goal, using a 16-3 rally to all but put the Saints away.

Redshirt-junior Alex Etherington paced UIndy with a season-high 17 points, and sophomore Jesse Kempson recorded his third double-double of the campaign with 14 points and 13 boards in the win.

The Greyhounds got off to a slow start offensively, but seven early points from Kempson helped them grab a slight 17-14 edge midway through the period.

As halftime neared, Etherington came alive, going on a personal 13-2 run against the Saints to boost the Hounds lead up to 35-21 with under two minutes on the clock. Etherington drained a 3-pointer on three consecutive possessions during the run, and helped UIndy carry a 40-26 lead into the break.

A 9-0 Maryville run out of the intermission quickly shrank UIndy's lead down to five, forcing an early timeout from Stan Gouard. But the Saints' defense continued to impress after the timeout, and kept the Hounds scoreless for more than five minutes to start the half.

Etherington eventually sank a jumper off the dribble to end the lengthy drought, during which UIndy went 0 for 8 from the floor, missing all five 3-pointers as the Saints pulled within three points.

The Hounds clung to their lead, but a 7-for-27 start shooting overall and 1-for-10 clip from long range allowed Maryville to work its way back into the game, getting within 50-48.

UIndy relied on its defense from there, limiting Maryville to a 1-for-12 shooting mark during that nine-plus minute stretch while upping the lead back to double figures for good.

Etherington finished the afternoon 3 for 8 from long range, and added seven rebounds, a steal and an assist to his stat line.

Kempson's 13 rebounds led all individuals and marked a career-high for the Indianapolis native.

After leading UIndy in scoring Thursday, redshirt-junior Ajay Lawton turned in another solid performance off the bench with 14 points, five assists, three rebounds and a steal.

UIndy out-rebounded Maryville 48-41 as a team, and converted 12 MU turnovers into 21 points.

The Greyhounds return to Nicoson Hall for the first time since Dec. 10 next Thursday, welcoming Missouri S&T for a 7:45 p.m. ET tip.