Box Score I Box Score (.pdf) I Photo Gallery I Video Highlights I Todd Howard Postgame

INDIANAPOLIS - Southern Utah senior point guard Ray Jones, Jr. had a game-high 21 points, seven boards and seven assists as the Thunderbirds shot 59.6 percent from the field and outslugged IUPUI, 72-64. Both Ramell Taylor and Jackson Stevenett added 19 each for the guests while sophomore guard Ian Chiles led four Jaguars in double-digits in the loss.

IUPUI (8-11, 2-5 Summit) shot just 40 percent from the floor and 3-of-15 (20 percent) from three as the Jaguars dropped their third straight outcome. The defeat also snapped IUPUI's six-game home winning streak dating back to the December 10 win over Western Kentucky. Senior Alex Young provided one of the few IUPUI highlights by netting his 2,000th career point on a first half free throw, becoming the third in school and 11th in Summit League history to hit for 2,000 or more.

IUPUI got off to a sluggish start, falling behind 10-2 after an early 8-0 Southern Utah (8-9, 3-4 Summit) run. Displeased with his starters, head coach Todd Howard summoned the quintet to the bench just over five minutes into the contest with the Jaguars down five.

"It was an extremely slow start and that doomed us from the get-go," Howard said. "Our older guys were not ready to play. That's been the theme all year. We can sugarcoat it, but that was inexcusable."

After a six-minute respite, the Jaguars found themselves down 21-12 when the starters retook the floor. Young's 2,000th and 2,001st career points cut the lead back to seven at the 6:46 mark and the Jaguars eventually got back within three on a Chiles trey with 3:27 left. However, SUU countered with four straight points and eventually took a 37-30 lead to the break.

The Jaguars opened the second half invigorated, scoring four quick points on a Christian Siakam layup and a Lyonell Gaines transition dunk, prompting SUU head coach Roger Reid to call timeout. After the timeout, the T-Birds scored four in succession on a Matt Massey layup and Taylor 12-footer.

Having never led the entire night, IUPUI used a 7-0 run to take a 48-47 lead with just under 12 minutes to play and appeared primed to sneak a win on a lackluster performance. Sophomore center Mitchell Patton fueled the rally with a putback and the go-ahead right-handed hook from 4-feet out. However, the IUPUI lead lasted just eight seconds as Southern Utah came back the other way and Damon Heuir swished an open baseline trey to retake the lead and start a matching 7-0 run. It was SUU's lone three of the game in just three attempts as the Thunderbirds did the majority of their damage on midrange jumpers and backdoor cuts for layups.

IUPUI stayed close, but never regained the lead the rest of the evening. 

"We had chances, really in both halves to tie it or take leads," Howard said. "We'd have great execution and great effort, only to come up short at the free throw line. That was just an ingredient of the night - not being prepared to play.

"From a coach, that's really disappointing and I'll take responsibility."

Even when things appeared to go right, the Jaguars caught bad breaks. Young and Stephen Thomas scored in succession to cut the SUU lead back to 52-51, but the visitors answered back with four straight defensive stops until freshman Lyonell Gaines scored on a putback with 6:24 to play. Then down four, freshman Marcellus Barksdale split a pair of free throws to make it a three-point game and Siakam missed the front end of a one-and-one that could've cut the lead back to one.

Later, Young picked up his fifth personal on a charge call after he had already released a shot, which had made it a three-point game with under three minutes to play. Jones swished the two ensuing free throws to erase Young's bucket and push it back to a two possession game. IUPUI was never able to get the score closer than five from that point forward.

Southern Utah hit 15-of-25 (60 percent) from the free throw line led by 7-of-8 efforts from both Jones and Stevenett. IUPUI, which came in ranked fifth in the country in free throw shooting, went 13-of-20 (65 percent) in the loss. Young, Siakam and Thomas all finished with 10 points while Patton added nine off the bench. Gaines continued his strong work on the glass, closing with eight points and nine boards. Siakam finished 4-of-4 from the floor in his first start since Dec. 10 while Patton was 3-of-7 overall and 3-of-3 from the stripe off the bench.

"They answered the bell," Howard said. "It was a physical game and those two combined for 19 (points) and nine (rebounds), platooning. Really all year, that position is solidified. They've shot a high percentage, made shots, got to the line and rebounded.

"They did their part."

The Thunderbirds, who leave The Summit League for the Big Sky beginning next season, won for the second straight year on IUPUI's home floor and claimed their sixth win all-time in Indianapolis. IUPUI fell to 8-4 at home this season and just 2-3 against Summit League foes.

IUPUI will cap the two-game homestand on Saturday (Jan. 14) night when the Jaguars host Oral Roberts inside the Jungle at 7:00 p.m.. That game can be heard in on WNDE.com or through the free iHeart Radio app available on smartphones. In addition, the game can be viewed via the internet as part of the IUPUI LIVE! subscription service on IUPUIJags.com as Scott McCauley (pxp) calls the action from courtside.

In addition, IUPUI will announce its 2012 Homecoming King and Queen at halftime of that game and be recognizing the 2012 Hall of Fame Class of Bill Kulsrud, Martin Reedus and Justin Wenger during the game. Fans are urged to wear white on Saturday night while IUPUI students are admitted for free with a valid JagTag. Adult reserved seats are just $10 and children 12-and-under are $7.