Box Score I Box Score (.pdf) I Todd Howard Postgame

THIBODAUX, La. - Senior Alex Young scored a game-high 25 points and led four Jaguars in double-digits as IUPUI claimed an 84-80 win over Nicholls State inside Stopher Gym as part of the Sears BracketBuster on Saturday (Feb. 18) evening. Seniors Christian Siakam and Stephen Thomas both finished with 14 points and Ian Chiles added 13 in the win.

Chris Talkington led five Colonels in double-digits with 16 points and Shane Rillieux added 15 points and seven assists in the loss.

IUPUI (13-16) improved to 1-0 in the BracketBuster event and won for the fifth time in six games in the season's home stretch. The Jaguars hit 60 percent from the floor for the second straight game including hitting 5-of-10 from three.

"I thought we were playing a hot team on the road - this part of the country we haven't played in in awhile," IUPUI head coach Todd Howard said. "I thought our guys handled all that great. They prepared well, practiced well. I thought we extended the lead a few times and we executed at a high level.

"Any time you can go on the road and shoot 60 from the fioor, 50 from three, 80 from the line and we outrebounded them by a healthy margin, you would think that'd give you a heartier margin of victory."

The Jaguars extended out to a late 13-point lead at 72-59 after Thomas splashed an open three from the left wing with 4:35 left, but still had to endure some tense moments down the stretch. A quick NSU (8-17) 10-2 run cut the lead back to five, fueled by a Talkington three and layup after consecutive IUPUI turnovers. However, with the game in the balance, Young came up with key plays to send the Jaguars to victory.

First the 6-foot-6 lefty swished a pair of free throws to push the lead back to 76-69 with 2:22 to play. After Rillieux split a pair of free throws, IUPUI opted to drain the shot clock on the ensuing offensive trip. Chiles missed a contested 16-footer with the shot clock running down, but Young knifed through to grab the offensive carom and putback the miss to all but seal the deal.

NSU's Dantrell Thomas misfired on a three at the other end and IUPUI made 6-of-9 freebies down the stretch to claim a second consecutive road victory.

Offensively, IUPUI was clicking on all cylinders in the first half, hitting 14-of-23 (.609) from the floor with eight different Jaguars getting in on the act. Leading 24-22 after Talkington hit a three, IUPUI reeled off an 8-0 run to push out to a double-digit lead. Chiles capped the burst with four straight points with the latter pair coming at the foul line. The two teams traded baskets for almost the final eight minutes of the first half before the Colonels closed with five straight points to make it 43-38 at the break.

IUPUI led 43-36 and had the ball with 19.5 seconds left, but turned the ball over, allowing the hosts one final possession. Shane Rillieux drove through the heart of the defense and dropped in an easy layup as the guard scored NSU's final nine points of the half. 

Nicholls State (8-17) opened the second half with four quick points, prompting Howard to call a timeout. After the timeout, Young took over for the next few minutes to extend the lead. He first hit a pair of free throws and then converted a three-point playon the Jaguars' next possesion. Then Siakam dropped in a layup to match a Jeremy Smith 15-footer and Young followed by swishing an open three from the corner to make it 53-46.

IUPUI eventually took a double-digit lead on a Siakam hook right at the midpoint of the second half.

Young finished hitting 8-of-12 from the floor and 8-of-9 at the foul line while grabbing a team-high six boards. He also added two steals, two blocks and two assists in 32 minutes work. Siakam was an efficient 7-of-8 from the floor in 28 minutes and Thomas hit 4-of-6 shots, including a pair of treys. Chiles did much of his damage at the free throw line, hitting all six attempts and collecting five boards.

"I thought the seniors continued to play so well," Howard said. "Christian, not only did he score, but he kicked it out so many times for good shots. And for Alex to come up with 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting is phenomenal. He could've shot it a lot more, but he facilitated more."

Talkington scored his 16 points in just 17 minutes, hitting 5-of-7 from the floor. Smith added 13 and Thomas finished with 12 and Trevon Lewis added 10. Lewis, the Colonels' top scorer and rebounding coming in, was limited to just 20 minutes due to foul trouble. NSU hit 51.9 percent overall and 8-of-21 (.381) from three.

The Jaguars owned the glass 29-21 and the two teams combined on just 15 turnovers. IUPUI improved to 1-2 all-time against Nicholls State as the program dropped contests to NSU back in 1976 and 1981.

IUPUI will return to Summit League action on Thursday (Feb. 23) night when the Jaguars head to Fargo, N.D. to take on North Dakota State for an 8:00 p.m. Eastern tip. That contest will be heard on WNDE 1260, WNDE.com and through the free iHeartRadio app available on smartphones as Scott McCauley (pxp) describes the action.