INDIANAPOLIS – The UIndy men's basketball team opened the 2024-25 season with a thrilling 96-90 overtime win on Friday, downing in-region Kentucky Wesleyan from Nicoson Hall.
 
It marks the first victory of the Scott Heady Era and second straight season the Greyhounds picked up their first win of the season against the Panthers.
 
Dashawn Jackson impressed in his UIndy debut, leading the Hounds with 23 points, five assists, and four steals. Senior transfer Brody Whitaker, who joined Heady from crosstown Marian, chipped in 20 points, including an 8-for-9 effort from the charity stripe.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Greyhounds needed a pair of comebacks late in the game, first in the second half as the hosts trailed by five with under three minutes left. After Noah Kon converted a three-point play, Jackson gave UIndy the lead with a deep triple as 56 ticks read on the clock.
 
Kentucky Wesleyan took advantage with its final possession of regulation, hitting a pair of free throws to send the game to overtime.
 
With only a single point through the first half of the extra session, Jackson rose to the occasion as he did all evening. The junior drilled his fourth 3-pointer – in transition – to knot the game at 88 apiece, but it was two returners that helped seal the win.
 
Zac Szul and Dylan Ingram both provided driving buckets within a 34-second span to put the Hounds up for good. Whitaker, who missed his only free throw of the night at the end of regulation, sunk both from the stripe with eight seconds left.
 
After a timeout, Jackson recorded his final steal, resulting in a transition alley-oop slam from Pierce Thomas as time expired.
 
INSIDE THE BOX
- Thomas scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half, including a pair of 3-pointers.
- After committing two personal fouls in under five minutes in the first half, Grant Disken finished with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting off the bench after the break.
- The Hounds' 96 points is the most in a game since the team went three straight contests scoring at least 96 in December 2022.
- Freshmen big men Kelvin Amoako (redshirt) and Tucker Tornatta (true) combined for eight rebounds and seven points, with a triple from the lefty in the first half for his first collegiate points.
- UIndy forced 17 turnovers, while coughing it up just five times; as a result, the Hounds scored 23 points off KWC miscues.
 
MORE NOTES
In an ironic fashion, the 2024-25 campaign begins with an overtime win after last season ended in extra time, both in Nicoson Hall … Jackson and Whitaker are the first pair of Hounds to each score 20+ since March 2024 in the regular season finale at McKendree … Kentucky Wesleyan now leads the all-time series, 56-17 … six Panthers finished in double digits, led by Kennedy Miles' 15 points … Amoako secured three of the team's 10 offensive rebounds.
 
UP NEXT
The Greyhounds welcome Wayne State to the south side on Sunday afternoon for the programs' first meeting since 2006. The Warriors dropped a 55-52 decision to GLVC-newcomer Lincoln on Friday night.