INDIANAPOLIS - IUPUI came out of the gates slowly before catching fire from three-point range en route to an easy 96-61 home opening win over IU South Bend in The Jungle on Monday night. Sophomore Jon Avery led four Jags in double-digits with a career-high 21 points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench.

It was the first double-double in Avery's career as the 6-foot-7 forward hit 8-of-11 shots and also handed out two assists.

Junior George Hill added 19 points and seven rebounds while classmate Gary Patterson added 17.

"It was good for us to get the opportunity to see some different players play," IUPUI head coach Ron Hunter said. "We played hard, although we still have a lot of things to work on.

"I can't tell you what I said to the team after the first couple media timeouts, but once we got going, we did some good things. Now we need to come back, continue to work hard and try to bring a championship home."

IUPUI is slated to take part in the eight-team BP Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska this weekend.

IU South Bend (2-3) had a five-point lead with 9:39 left in the first half when Terry Hill got loose for a layup off a feed from Qadr Owens. The Jaguars responded with a 13-2 run spanning the next 2:20 to take the lead for good. Patterson knocked down three triples during the spurt.

Patterson hit 5-of-6 first half threes as the Jags hit six treys in the first 20 minutes as the IUPUI (1-1) lead stretched to 50-32 by the break.The Jaguars scored the first 10 points of the second half to set up essentially 17 minutes of mop up duty.

Junior Brandon Ray and freshman Adrian Moss made the most of the extended action. Ray hit 4-of-6 shots to finish with eight points while Moss compiled five points, five assists and three steals in 14 minutes.

For the game, IUPUI dominated the glass 55-29, including grabbing 22 offensive rebounds.

"We were bigger and a little more athletic than they were," Hunter said. "We were a step quicker to the ball and did a good job of getting second chances."

IUPUI hit 47 percent from the floor and 20-of-28 (71.4 percent) at the foul line. The Titans hit just 37 percent from the field and 7-of-30 (23.3 percent) from beyond the arc.

Hill led IUSB with 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting while Ben Werner added eight.

IUPUI will take on Portland State on Friday night in the opening round of the TOWC at the Carlson Center. Tip time is 8:30 local time/12:30 a.m. EST. That game can be heard on Gold 95.9 FM as Greg Rakestraw is on the call. Pregame coverage will begin at approximately midnight.