INDIANAPOLIS – The UIndy men's basketball team (10-5, 4-3 GLVC) pulled out an overtime victory over Lewis on Saturday afternoon in Nicoson Hall, the teams' second battle that went into extra time this season. The Hounds have now won 10 or more games in nine consecutive seasons with the 80-79 win.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hounds made three consecutive long balls to lead 13-0 before the first media timeout, but the visiting Flyers took just eight minutes to grab their first lead at 23-21. Trevor Lakes drilled his second three-pointer of the half ahead of a deep swish from Eric Davidson with 5:20 remaining, and Tate Hall followed up with a three of his own a minute later to knot the game at 30. Roderick Davis chipped in a layup for the Greyhounds, as they scored seven of next 10, but the Flyers evened the game at 37 apiece just before the intermission.
 
Lewis went on an 11-2 run to begin the second in a span of three minutes, but UIndy poured in 10 of the next 12 thanks to a pair of three-pointers by Lakes and Lawton. The Hounds took their first lead of the second half with 14:02 remaining after Hall pulled down an offensive rebound and sunk the pair of free throws, a play which fueled sophomore down the stretch. The sophomore drilled another three-pointer on the fast-break on Lawton's ninth assist of the game, but the Flyers refused to quit. Lewis drew its chance with six seconds left and made both free throws to tie the game, but overtime was destined for the second time this season between the teams.
 
Hall knotted the game at 76 at the two-minute mark in overtime with his career-high best 25th point as the teams continued to go back and forth. Davidson splashed a long ball and the free throw immediately after Lewis drilled a three-pointer to give the Hounds a one-point advantage, leaving Lewis with a chance to steal a win in the Circle City. As the seconds ticked down, UIndy forced a shot-clock violation and the Hounds held on, 80-79.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
The Hounds sunk 13-of-24 three-point attempts on the afternoon for a 54.2 percent clip, the second time in four games the team has made 13 long balls. It is the sixth time this season the Greyhounds have made double-digit three-pointers, including the third time in the past five games. The team is now shooting 43.6 percent from long range, and entered the weekend third in the country in three-point percentage.
 
After being held to just five points and three turnovers in the first half, Tate Hall exploded for 20 tallies in the second half and overtime to post a career-high 25 in the win. The sophomore's previous best was 24 a season ago against St. Joseph's, and had a season-high 22 against Rockhurst last weekend.
 
Ajay Lawton recorded his first-career double-double against the Flyers, dishing out 11 assists to go with his 13 points. The senior has been a major catalyst for this team since his return, averaging 11.3 ppg, 4.5 apg, and 2.5 rpg.
 
The Greyhounds turned the ball over eight times in the opening half, but just twice in the second period. The total of 10 would have been the third-best mark of the season for the team before the Hounds suffered three turnovers in the overtime session.
 
HOUND BYTES
On his role late in the game
Senior Jabree Bond-Flournoy: "At halftime, he (Coach Gouard) got on us a little bit. He challenged us to shut down their point guard. He still played well offensive, but I just wanted to come in the game and see what I could do as far as making plays defensively and try to make him as the toughest shot possible. So that was my role and I just tried to do that to get the win, especially on our home court."
 
On the difference from the last overtime game at Lewis
Head coach Stan Gouard: "Well if you look at the score in overtime, we scored the exact same amount of points (today) as we did at Lewis in the first overtime; we had nine points in both games. The difference is we guarded in overtime this time. Last time, we gave up 22 points in overtime, which is totally unacceptable, but our guys found a way. We made a couple bonehead plays throughout the second half, but again we found a way to win.
 
"What a big shot Eric Davidson made for the four-point play. And talk about staying ready, Jabree didn't play the first 20 minutes of the basketball game, but his number was called and he answered it very well."
 
On coaching players to come into situations like Jabree did today
Gouard: "It was mental and physical toughness. On the board today, my last words before they walked out were 'toughness prevails.' Like I told our guys, toughness is not about knocking a guy around, making physical plays. Toughness is guarding when you're tired; toughness is not forgetting about the scouting report when you're tired. Those are tough-man plays, and I thought, for the most part, especially down the stretch, toughness did prevail for us."
 
UP NEXT
UIndy will continue its four-game home stand next Thursday when it welcomes Truman to Nicoson Hall. The Hounds and Bulldogs will tip at 7:45 p.m. The Greyhounds defeated the Bulldogs a season ago by the score 94-86 in Kirksville.