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PEORIA, Ill. - Junior Ian Chiles scored a game-high 20 points and classmate Khufu Najee added 19 as the Jaguars picked off Bradley, 72-66 inside Renaissance Coliseum on Wednesday (Dec. 4) night. Defensively, IUPUI held the Braves to just 31.3 percent shooting and 3-of-22 (13.6 percent) from downtown, snapping the Jaguars' four-game skid. 

IUPUI (2-7) shot an efficient 46 percent overall and a season-high 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from three-point range to hand Bradley its first home loss of the season.

"We just made shots," IUPUI Head Coach Todd Howard said. "I know it sounds simple, but that was the difference. Everything is easier when the ball goes through the net. We made shots early and that really set the tone for our guys.

"We built a little confidence and it kind of snowballed from there. It allowed us to get set up on defense, it opened up some driving lanes and it allowed us to get some good looks from outside. The game just comes a lot easier when you're able to make shots."

After three straight slow starts, the Jaguars got the beginning they wanted behind Najee as the jet quick lefty scored the game's first seven points in the opening 2:15. He capped the personal 7-0 run with a strong three-point play after rebounding a Mitch Patton miss. Bradley stormed back to take a 12-9 lead, led by All-Everything guard Walt Lemon, Jr.. The 6-foot-3 Lemon stroked a three from the left wing to put the Braves in front 10-9 and then immediately picked off a pass near midcourt and raced the other way for an emphatic one-handed dunk, prompting an IUPUI timeout. 

However, IUPUI used a mini 6-0 burst and held the lead nearly the final 30 minutes of the contest. The Jaguars pushed their lead to 35-22 at the break after Najee swished a three with the shot clock winding down with 64 seconds left before the break. IUPUI got a defensive stand on their next trip before Najee missed an off-balanced wing three at the final horn.

IUPUI limited Bradley to just 7-of-27 (25.9 percent) shooting in the first half, with two of the makes coming on breakaway dunks. Bradley's first half shooting woes extended to the free throw line where the Braves made just 7-of-12 attempts. The Braves finished the contest 21-of-31 (67.7 percent) from the free throw line.  

The second half started well as the Jaguars got a defensive stop on the first trip and Patton scored on a backdoor layup to put IUPUI in front 37-22. 

"I thought defensively, we were pretty good tonight. Our Achilles heel has been getting that defensive rebounds and closing out the possession though. If you look at the numbers, our first shot field goal defense has been pretty good all year, but it's those second and third opportunities that have burned us," Howard said. 

Despite taking a commanding lead early in the second half, the Jaguars had to scratch and claw their way to the finish line. Bradley (5-3) got within four with 3:14 left when Lemon swished a pair of free throws and the Jaguars turned the ball over on their next two possessions. The second miscue led to a Tyshon Pickett transition layup.

However, IUPUI made enough plays in crunch time to earn the win. 

Najee drained a pair of free throws with 2:15 left and the defense got a stop when Marcellus Barksdale cleaned the glass after Pickett missed a contested drive. On the next IUPUI trip, the Jaguars milked the shot clock before Najee hit Justus Stanback for a strong two-handed dunk with 1:40 left. IUPUI got another stand, albeit on three Bradley missed treys, and Donovan Gibbs cleared the board and swished two free throws to push the lead to eight. 

The final dagger seemed to come with 70 seconds left when Najee stole the ensuing inbounds pass and hit Barksdale, who was immediately fouled near midcourt. The sophomore point guard hit both tries and IUPUI made enough free throws late to snap BU's seven-game home winning streak. 

Chiles, The Summit League's top scorer at 18.1 points per game coming in, was held without a field goal in the first half, but scored nine quick points to start the second half as IUPUI fought to maintain the double-digit lead. The Louisville-native did much of his damage at the free throw line, hitting 9-of-13 attempts as the Jaguars finished at 19-of-24 (79.2 percent).

IUPUI's efficient shooting helped offset a 48-34 deficit on the glass. The Braves grabbed 23 offensive boards and outscored IUPUI 22-5 on second chance points, largely because IUPUI simply didn't miss much. Najee was 6-of-9 overall and Donovan Gibbs came off the bench to contribute 13 points (4-7 FG, 3-5 3's) and eight boards. It was Gibbs' first time coming off the bench since the end of the 2011-12 campaign. In his stead, Stanback had six points and two rebounds before fouling out. 

"This was a total team effort and I'm really proud of our guys," Howard said. "It's been a tough start to the season for us, but it's really been a play here, a missed rebound there and more often that not, it's cost us the game. Tonight, it was good for some of our guys to see the fruits of their labors and for them to get to enjoy a win. 

"We're still very much a work in progress, but this was a step in the right direction."

Omari Grier led Bradley with 17 points, but was just 2-of-11 from three-point range. Lemon, Jr. was 4-of-18 overall and closed with 13 points and four assists before fouling out. Pickett had 13 points and eight caroms and Auston Barnes chipped in 11 points and eight rebounds off the bench. 

The win moved IUPUI to 2-2 all-time against Bradley with each team getting a road win in the home-and-home series that began in Indy a season ago. 

The Jaguars will return to their home floor on Saturday (Dec. 7) when they host NC Central inside the Jaguars at 2:00 p.m.. That game can be heard on iHeartRadio as Will Flemming (pxp) calls the action from courtside. In addition, fans can watch online as part of the IUPUI LIVE! subscription service on IUPUIJags.com.