Game Notes (.pdf) I Live Audio I Live Video I Live Stats

INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI basketball team will cap the 2012-13 regular season on Saturday (Mar. 2) when the Jaguars host Kansas City on Senior Night inside The Jungle. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and the game can be heard on WNDE.com and on the free iHeartRadio app available on smartphones. Pregame coverage will commence at 7:15 p.m. as Scott McCauley (pxp) is on the call. The game can also be viewed through the IUPUI LIVE! subscription service with the video starting at tipoff.

As always, IUPUI students are admitted for free with a valid JagTag. IUPUI (6-24, 1-14 Summit) will honor the four-man senior class of Sean Esposito, John Hart, Nick Kitcoff and Greg Rice prior to tomorrow's game.

Tomorrow's halftime will include a reunion of the 2003 IUPUI NCAA Tournament team with as many as 12 of the former players expected to be in attendance. The former Jaguars will be recognized during halftime on the 10-year anniversary of the program's only-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.

This year's squad is looking to snap a 14-game skid, following Thursday's 87-69 loss to South Dakota. Junior center Mitchell Patton led the Jaguars with 24 points (12-16 FG) and both Esposito and Donovan Gibbs finished with 12 points apiece. South Dakota led from wire-to-wire, blasting out to a 9-4 lead with three early treys against the Jaguars zone defense. IUPUI crept within eight midway through the second half, but USD counterpunched with a late 12-1 run to claim the win. Trevor Gruis paced the Coyotes with 26 points, six boards and five assists and the guests outscored the Jaguars, 20-4 at the free throw line. 

IUPUI shot a respectable 48.4 percent from the floor, but allowed USD to connect on 50 percent of its shots, including seven treys. The Jags also committed a season-low seven turnovers, but forced just four USD miscues at the defensive end.

Kansas City (7-23, 4-11) squandered an 18-point halftime lead and dropped a 53-50 decision at Western Illinois on Thursday night. The Kangaroos scored just 11 second half points on 3-of-15 shooting after the break in losing their fourth straight game. Sophomore guard Estan Tyler led all scorers with 17 points, but committed nine turnovers, and Thomas Staton added 10 off the bench.

Tyler has been the 'Roos top player this season, leading the club in scoring (11.6 ppg), assists (86), threes made (57) and minutes played (31.6 mpg). Staton, a senior swingman, checks in at 9.8 points per game and junior big man Fred Chatmon averages 7.7 points and a team-high 7.6 rebounds per game in the middle. Chatmon devoured IUPUI in the middle in the first meeting between the two schools back on Nov. 29, finishing with 20 points, nine boards (seven offensive) and four blocked shots in 28 minutes. The 'Roos used a big first half run to build a 45-26 halftime advantage and staved off the Jaguars in a 79-65 victory.

Junior #P.J. Hubert# led four Jags in double-digits with 18 points, including hitting 4-of-5 from three, and Gibbs added 14 points and eight caroms.

IUPUI is 19-15 all-time against UMKC, but has lost two straight to Kansas City. The Jaguars have won seven straight over the 'Roos inside The Jungle including last year's 83-74 overtime victory.