Box Score I Box Score (.html) I Box Score (.pdf) I Photo Gallery I Video Highlights I Todd Howard Postgame I P.J. Hubert Postgame

INDIANAPOLIS - Junior #P.J. Hubert# scored a career-high 22 points off the bench and IUPUI delivered 27 assists on 35 baskets as the Jaguars rolled past IU East, 87-54 inside the Jungle on Monday (Nov. 26) night. Senior John Hart added 15 and Donovan Gibbs and Mitchell Patton scored 12 each as IUPUI (3-4) shot 50 percent overall and made 11-of-30 (36.7 percent) from three-point range in the win.

Marcus Isaac was the lone IU East (5-3) player to reach double-digits, finishing with 15 in the loss. The win snapped IUPUI's three-game losing skid as the Jaguars improved to 9-4 all-time against IUE in a series that dates back to 1972.

IUPUI held IUE scoreless for nearly seven minutes, ripping off a 19-0 run that turned a 20-16 score into a 39-16 blowout midway through the first half. Hubert sandwiched threes around an Esposito trey from the corner, quickly pushing the lead to 29-16 with 7:33 left to prompt a Red Wolves timeout.

Even broken plays broke well for the Jaguars during the run.

Patton tried to take his defender off the dribble but momentarily lost the ball in the process. After a bit of a scramble, the 6-foot-9 lefty found himself with an easy 12-footer, making it 33-16. Sophomore Jordan Shanklin then fed Lyonell Gaines for an easy layup and then rainbowed in a three of his own.

Senior Nick Kitcoff capped the run with a right wing trey off a feed from Greg Rice as IUPUI eventually took a 45-22 lead to the break. IUPUI hit 7-of-17 from three-point range in the first half and limited IUE to 0-of-10 from deep.

"Almost every basket was assisted on and that's fairly unheard of," Howard said. "Plus, that's a team that came in averaging (93) points per game and we held them to 22 in the first half.

"It was good to see us come out tonight and play so well. That's a game that could've gone a million different directions, but we took care of business."

The Jaguars' 27 assists tied for the most in a single-game in the program's Division I era. IUPUI also handed out 27 assists on 35 baskets in a 96-71 win over Olivet Nazarene on Nov. 24, 2001.

IUPUI's lead grew to 36 midway through the second half when Hart capped a 10-0 run with an easy layup, thanks to Hubert's steal and nifty lead pass. The Jaguars' largest lead of the night came with 4:35 left when Sean Esposito dropped in an easy layup off a high-low pass from Cameron Loepker, making it an 84-45 game.

Even as the game deteriorated down the stretch, the Jags' defense remained stingy, blocking nine shots and limiting IU East to just 31.1 percent shooting from the floor and 2-of-17 (11.7 percent) from three-point range. The Red Wolves' 31.1 percent shooting effort was the program's lowest mark in their NAIA era.

IUPUI got at least a point and 13 minutes out of all 10 Jaguars that saw the floor. Hubert stole the show in 23 minutes work, hitting 5-of-11 3's and 7-of-13 overall for his third career double-digit scoring effort of his career.

"We're a deep team and we can all play," Hubert said. "We're all interchangable and when we step on the court, we get things done.

"I feel like when I touch the ball, I can get my shot off quick and if I can't, I can make one dribble or two and get a teammate open."

Esposito finished with a season-high nine points and a career-high seven boards and five assists in his first game off the bench this season. Shanklin delivered a career-high seven assists and Gaines tied his career-high with 12 boards in his first start of the year.

Gibbs, who entered play leading The Summit in rebounding at 8.3 per game, grabbed eight boards including four off the offensive glass. Patton navigated through the middle almost effortlessly, notching his 12 points, five boards and two blocked shots in just 15 minutes work. Kitcoff closed with a career-best nine points on 4-of-7 shooting in 16 minutes work.

"Nick is so versatile, he can play a bunch of different positions," Howard said. "He just comes to work everyday in practice and it's good to see him get out there and make his imprint on a game."

With Gaines in the starting lineup, IUPUI's size advantage was evident from the outset as the Jaguars' first two baskets of the night came via offensive rebounds. After IUE had taken an early 2-0 lead on a Jason Ray jumper, IUPUI got a Hart three after a Gibbs offensive rebound and then got a Patton putback two trips later.

Hart picked up his second personal foul at the 14:59 mark of the first half with the Jaguars leading 9-8, but Hubert immediately provided a spark off the bench.

"This was a big win for our confidence," Hubert said. "We realize we need to do some big things here on this road trip on Thursday and Saturday."

IUPUI will continue the busy week on Thursday when the Jaguars open up Summit League play at Kansas City in an 8:05 p.m. tipoff. Pregame coverage on WNDE 1260, WNDE.com and through the free iHeartRadio app will begin at approximately 7:45 p.m. as Will Flemming (pxp) calls the action from courtside inside Swinney Rec Center on the UMKC campus.