ROCHESTER, Mich. - Junior guard Brandon Cameron knocked down both ends of a one-and-one opportunity with 3.6 seconds left to cap a 19-point comeback win at Oakland on Wednesday night. Cameron finished with a career-high 21 points and eight assists.
Oakland was unable to get a shot off at the horn after the IUPUI defense forced three passes and never gave the Golden Grizzlies a look at the goal.
"We gutted this one out," Cameron said. "We knew we needed a victory on the road and we got it done tonight."
The Jags trailed 74-64 with 4:35 remaining after OU forward Derick Nelson completed a three-point play. To make the come-from-behind task even more daunting, IUPUI's leading scorer George Hill was on the sidelines with an injury.
After Matt Burks hit his lone field goal of the game, a three from the left wing, Cameron then scored IUPUI's next seven points to make it 79-74 with 2:18 to play.
Oakland missed two opportunities from point blank range before Shawn Hopes turned the ball over with a traveling violation.
IUPUI cut it to 79-77 when Brandon Cole got loose for a three from the right wing with 1:25 to play. Cole ran his defender, Vova Severovas, through numerous off-the-ball screens before finally getting free and swishing the 22-footer.
Hopes split a pair of free throws at the other end, keeping it a one-possession game.
Cole had two cracks from long range to tie the score, and connected on the second with 42.5 seconds left. Hopes gave Oakland an 81-80 lead when he split a pair of free throws for the second consecutive time, this time with 28.5 seconds left.
On the Jags' last possession, David Barlow dribbled out top to run the clock before finding Cameron curling on the right side. Cameron went to his right, but was fouled by OU's Keith MacKenzie, setting up his game-winning free throws. IUPUI had trailed the entire game before the Cameron's freebies.
"When it came down the stretch, we made plays," IUPUI head coach Ron Hunter said. "After losing to Valpo, they (Oakland) knew they had to win this game.
"We didn't match their energy early, but we were able to catch up. I knew if we could be within striking distance late, we would have a chance."
IUPUI was forced to play catch-up from the outset after falling behind 24-5 nearly eight minutes into the game.
Oakland's inside presence of Vova Severovas and Shawn Hopes gave IUPUI fits, combining to score 14 of OU's first 16 points. The duo also combined to grab eight first half rebounds as the Golden Grizzlies outrebounded IUPUI 25-14 in the first half and grabbed 17 of the game's first 19 caroms.
"They beat us on the glass, they probably outshot us," Hunter said. "But we hung in there and got it done - which was especially tough without George in there."
Hill finished with 22 points, including hitting 4-of-6 from three-point range, in 32 minutes. Barlow added 16 points, four assists and three steals while Cole had 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
Oakland dominated the glass, outrebounding IUPUI 44-24 overall and 16-7 on the offensive glass.
Severovas led four OU players in double-digits with 26 points and seven rebounds. The Mid-Con's leading scorer, Calvin Wooten, added 20 points and four assists.
Despite OU's dominance on the glass, the key stat of the game ended up being the turnover differential. IUPUI committed just seven miscues and forced Oakland into 18 mistakes. The Jags outscored Oakland 23-8 off turnovers.
IUPUI improved to 7-6 overall and 2-0 in the Mid-Continent Conference. Oakland dropped to 5-9 and 0-2 in the league. The Jags have now won four of their past five games.
IUPUI returns home on Saturday to host Southern Utah in The Jungle. That game is the back end of a home doubleheader and is schedule to tip at 7:00 p.m..
