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INDIANAPOLIS - Happy to finally be home in Horizon League play, the IUPUI basketball team unloaded an efficient, balanced offensive attack to roar past Cleveland State, 90-74. Sophomore Elyjah Goss scored a career-high 16 points and finished with 13 rebounds for his third career double-double. Jaguars' reserves tossed in 35 points as both Ahmed Ismail (13) and Nick Rogers (12) hit for double-digits off the bench. Camron Justice and D.J. McCall scored 13 apiece and Evan Hall added 10 points and seven boards in the win. 

IUPUI (10-7, 2-2 HL) shot a blistering 59 percent from the floor and bullied its way to a 40-22 rebounding advantage to more than offset a season-high 21 turnovers. 

"I think we showed a bit more of what we're capable of offensively. We did a good job of getting to the second and third side and getting some paint touches early to really set the tone," head coach Jason Gardner said. "We got the ball moving and did a good job of sharing, making the extra pass and finding the open man. We got a lot of really good looks tonight and everyone really stepped up and contributed. These guys really like each other and like playing together, so they get more excited about an assist than they do about getting a bucket themselves."

IUPUI ripped off a 22-4 run early in the second half to blow out to a 24-point lead at 67-43. Justice, the team's top scorer, was more distributor during the run, including setting up back-to-back baskets to force a CSU timeout. The first came as Ismail deflected a pass and Justice dove to the floor to tip the ball ahead to Rogers on a fast break. Rogers raced ahead for one of the Jaguars' four dunks on the night. Moments later, a quick CSU (5-13, 0-5 HL) miss from behind the arc resulted in a long rebound to Justice, who ignited the break. This time, he looked off a defender and fed a wide open Jaylen Minnett on the right wing for an open trey and a 24-point lead. 

Cleveland State snuck within 14 with 5:34 left, but the Jags answered with the game's next eight points, mostly in the paint, to end any drama. 

Jaalam Hill and Stefan Kenic scored a game-high 18 each for CSU and Rashad Williams tallied 12 off the bench. CSU's top scorer, Tyree Appleby, was slowed by an injury and finished with just seven points on 3-of-10 shooting and eight turnovers. 

The game was slow at the start as the two sides slogged their way to a 10-8 CSU advantage in the opening six-plus minutes. Justice put the Jaguars ahead with a corner three with 13:06 left before the break to kickoff a 10-0 run. McCall finished the run with back-to-back drives through the CSU defense that resulted in tough finishes. After Cleveland State closed within two at 20-18, the Jags again reeled off a 12-2 run, beginning with a Grant Weatherford triple as the shot clock expired. Rogers added five points during the rally and assisted Goss on a layup as well. 

IUPUI led 39-31 at the break and allowed CSU to hang around early in the second half before seizing control with the 22-4 burst. 

IUPUI started just 3-of-11 at the free throw line, but made 13 of its final 14 attempts to finish at 64 percent. The Jags also shot a respectable 6-of-17 (35.3 percent) from three-point range, but did the bulk of their damage inside where they outscored CSU 50-36 in the paint. 

Cleveland State finished at 43 percent overall and just 24 percent from three-point range. 

IUPUI will close the two-game homestand on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 12) when the Jaguars host Youngstown State at 1:00 p.m. inside the Coliseum. That game will be aired on ESPN3 as Greg Rakestraw (pxp) and Hall of Famer Bob Lovell (analyst) call the action. In addition, the game is the second annual Scout Day as boy scouts from throughout Central Indiana will be in attendance. The Voices of IFD will perform Saturday's national anthem and the IUPUI Moving Company will provide the halftime entertainment.