UIndy Athletics

INDIANAPOLIS – The UIndy men's basketball team bounced back from the season-opening loss with a 30-point victory over Saginaw Valley State on Saturday night. The Hounds' 100-70 victory featured 12 different scorers, including a career-high 27 points from Ajay Lawton. Trevor Lakes poured in four three-pointers for 12 tallies, while each of Devin Dixon, Jesse Kempson, and Tate Hall had 11 points.
 
It is the first time the Hounds have scored 100 points since last season on January 12 against Missouri S&T, which is also the last time the team won by at least 30.
 
UIndy is now 1-1 to begin the 2017-18 season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UIndy jumped out to a 12-3 lead with four players scoring. Hall dumped in a pair of baskets to increase the Greyhound lead to double-digits before a deep ball by Lakes made it the final time it would be as close as 11.
 
Lawton swished a couple free throws to cap off a 7-0 run by the Hounds at the 6:40 mark in the first half, and the lead grew to 20 after a Hall three-pointer. Roderick Davis played big minutes after Dixon was called for two fouls early, putting in six points of his own in the paint.
 
Lawton scored 17 of his 27, along with five of his nine assists, in the first half. Kempson, who scored the first points of the evening after sitting out last night, had seven at the break.
 
The Hounds shot an amazing 60 percent from the floor in the period and was six-for-nine from behind the arc. The team was also perfect from the charity stripe with 12 made.
 
Six straight points by Lawton early in the second half grew the Greyhound lead to 25, and a jumper with 9:38 remaining gave UIndy its first 30-point advantage. Jabree Bond-Flournoy, Keegan Northern, and Kylen Butler added points to their box score with a couple minutes remaining, with Bond-Flournoy added the final tallies to give the Hounds the century mark.
 
Davis finished with eight points and a pair of rebounds, while Eric Davidson added five points and four boards. The team dished out 16 assists and forced 15 turnovers, while committing 12 itself.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
After shooting 34 free throws last night, the Hounds went to the line another 27 times against the Cardinals. They sunk 25, including a 13-for-13 performance by Lawton. Northern made four in his three minutes of action. UIndy has now attempted 27 free throws in five consecutive games, dating back to February 18 against Wisconsin-Parkside.
 
Twelve scorers in a game is the most by a Hounds team since January 2, 2016 against Governors State. Davidson poured in 24 in the game, while Kempson had 12. Bond-Flournoy scored 10 points in that game.
 
The Hounds had 40 points off the bench this evening after only having five against Northwood. Lakes and Hall both led the way with their 12 and 11 each, respectively, while Etherington chipped in a couple. Kylen Butler scored his first point of his Greyhound career while playing three minutes.
 
HOUND BYTES
Head coach Stan Gouard on starting the combination of Dixon and Kempson inside: "That's something we have been looking forward to. Jesse proved how much of a force he can be in the paint, and Devin has played tremendously so far this season. I'm proud of the way Devin was able to come back from a couple early fouls and help us win this game."
 
Senior guard Ajay Lawton on setting a pair of new career-high totals: "It's a blessing. I had no idea those were career-high's, but it's my teammates that even gave me the opportunity."
 
The Westfield native on what Gouard told the team after last night's defeat: "All he said was have amnesia. We can't focus on last night; we had to forget it and move onto tonight."
 
Junior forward Jesse Kempson on scoring 100 in the 30-point triumph: "We know we can do that to a lot of teams. It's awesome to do it because that's what we want to do."
 
UP NEXT
The Hounds will get a few days off before welcoming in Kentucky State on Wednesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Nicoson Hall.