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INDIANAPOLIS - For the second straight game, junior Evan Hall put up a double-double in a win as the IUPUI Jaguars (10-17, 7-9 HL) defeated Oakland (17-12, 9-7 HL), 74-67. The win was the Jaguars' tenth of season, making it it the fourth consecutive season with double digit wins under head coach Jason Gardner.

Hall, the reigning Horizon League Player of the Week, finished with 13 points and a career-high 12 boards for his fifth career double-double. 
 
In the early goings of the game, both offenses came out in a rhythm. Oakland quickly opened up with the game's first five points, but the Jaguars countered quickly with six points of their own. In the first five minutes of the game, there were five lead changes as the Jaguars took a 20-15 lead halfway through the opening frame.
 
A quick 6-0 run by Oakland swung the lead back in their favor by the five-minute mark. An offensive rebound putback by Maurice Kirby gave the Jaguars the lead once again, but one final lead change gave Oakland a 36-33 lead heading into the locker room. In what was a back-and-forth first half, neither team was able to build a lead larger than six points. In total, the first half featured eight lead changes and four ties.
 
The Jaguars were led in the first half by eight points from D.J. McCall, which was already above his season average. T.J. Henderson and Kirby each added six points off the bench as the Jaguars' bench chipped in with 14 points. The Jaguars were able to connect on their opportunities as they hit 4-of-7 attempts from behind the arc. The Golden Grizzlies were led by Kendrick Nunn's 15 points in the first half.
 
"I think they've been doing an unbelievable job. I think we've been focusing more on ourselves and our guys have been a lot more confident," head coach Jason Gardner said following the win.
 
Out of the locker room, it was the Jaguars who struck first. On the back of strong defense, a 14-3 run to open the half put the Jags up 47-39 by the first media timeout. The run was keyed by post buckets from Hall, McCall and Aaron Brennan. Senior Ron Patterson also added five quick points in the run.
 
Throughout the second half, Oakland threw multiple punches to chip away at the Jaguar lead. By the seven minute mark, the Golden Grizzlies had cut the Jaguar lead to just a single possession at 57-54.

However, the Jaguars answered every push.

Brennan got to the basket for a layup. Hall knocked in a key pair of free throws and a dagger three by Patterson put the Jaguars up 64-58 with three minutes to play.
 
With just under two minutes remaining and the lead cut to four, a loose ball on a broken possession broke out following a missed jumper by the Jags. Both teams batted the ball around at half court, but it was the Jaguars who gained possession. Following the scrum, Brennan converted on a contested layup to go up 66-60, which would essentially be the final nail in the coffin.
 
"I thought we were poised. We did a great job of not allowing their runs to affect our offense," Gardner said, "I think our group is seeing that and playing a lot more confident."
 
McCall and freshman Jaylen Minnett were integral in maintaining the lead down the stretch. Both players stepped up to the line and converted to keep the Jaguars in front. Oakland was again able to cut the lead down to three, but Brennan followed suit and knocked down four consecutive free throws down the stretch to seal the 74-67 win.

In all, the Jaguars closed by making 10 straight freebies in the final four-plus minutes to seal the deal. 
 
"We really wanted to get this one today. These last three games against Oakland, Wright State and Northern Kentucky are three big games. Momentum-wise going into the conference tournament, it's a great to get a win and I think this was one of our better conference wins," McCall said.
 
Brennan led the Jaguars with 18 points and McCall added 12 points of his own. Patterson joined them in double figures with 11 points and four assists. Hall's interior performance was a key part to the 38-26 margin on points in the paint.
 
"I'm trying to get out my head. This whole season I've been getting in my head about how I'm playing. I'm trying to turn it around now late in the season," Hall said of his performance. "I think this is the most we've come together as a team. With all the scouting, and now we're having fun and coming together."

As a team, the Jaguars shot 47 percent from the floor and went 14-of-18 (77.8 percent) from the line. The Jags were an efficient 6-of-12 from deep, led by Patterson's three treys. 
 
Kendrick Nunn led all scorers in the game with 29 points, but overall the Oakland offense struggled from the field. The Golden Grizzlies shot just 35 percent from the floor, including a measly 10-of-34 (29.4 percent) in the second half. The Golden Grizzlies hit just 8-of-31 (25.8 percent) from deep and just 4-of-22 (18.2 percent) after halftime. 
 
"The way he scores it makes it tough," Gardner said of Nunn,. "I said to make sure to get a hand in his face on every shot. We just want to make sure shots are challenged. Whether it's inside or outside, anytime you can put a hand in their face and make them miss, that's what you want."

IUPUI will continue the three-game homestand on Friday morning (Feb. 23) when the Jaguars host Wright State at 11:00 a.m. inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum. As part of the NCAA "Readers Become Leaders", the IUPUI Athletics Department will welcome roughly 5,000 3rd graders from throughout Central Indiana to Friday's game.