INDIANAPOLIS - Junior guard Marcus Burk scored a game-high 22 points and Jaylen Minnett chimed in with 17 as the IUPUI basketball team knocked off Purdue Fort Wayne, 74-65, inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Saturday afternoon. IUPUI jumped out to an early nine-point lead and led wire-to-wire in dispatching the future Horizon League foe. The Jaguars held the visiting Mastodons to just 39 percent shooting overall and 29 percent from three-point range, while shooting 45 percent from the floor at the other end. 

Grant Weatherford also finished in double-digits with 14 points, six assists and five steals in the victory. 

DeMierre Black led three Purdue Fort Wayne (7-7) players with 17 points off the bench and Jarred Godfrey chipped in 14 points and six boards. Brian Patrick added 12 points, albeit on 5-of-16 shooting. 

"We've talked a lot about just buying in defensively and each of us just really taking care of our individual assignments," Burk said. "That was the difference today. Even when shots weren't going down for us, we got stops when we needed them."

IUPUI (4-8) built a quick 13-4 in the opening four-plus minutes, capped by back-to-back Minnett treys, prompting a Purdue Fort Wayne timeout. While the Mastodons came in with the three-point reputation, IUPUI opened the game 5-of-7 from deep, including rare makes from Weatherford and Jamil Jackson Jr.. Jackson swished a corner trey in transition at the 11:35 mark of the first half to extend the Jaguars' lead to 12 before Purdue Fort Wayne score the game's next nine points. 

The Jags took a 42-30 lead into halftime, thanks in part to a lucky break. It appeared as though Matt Holba made a three from the top of the key at the final horn, but upon replay, it was ruled a shot clock violation and 0.5 seconds were put back on the game clock. Minnett just missed a 60-foot hoist on the ensuing possession. 

While the Jaguars' offense wasn't nearly as crisp in the second half, IUPUI managed to maintain the lead throughout, even when the guests appeared primed for a run. 

The Mastodons crept within five at 53-48 with 9:00 left when Dylan Carl scored in close and the teams traded three empty trips each before Burk fired in a contested three with 7:44 remaining. Seconds later, Weatherford picked off a pass near midcourt and raced the other way for an uncontested layup as part of the Jaguars' 21-6 advantage in fast break points. 

The Jags made winning plays down the stretch include a key drive from Weatherford at the 5:14 mark and a huge drive and dish from Isaiah Williams with 3:50 to play, resulting in an Elyjah Goss layup. IUPUI was unflappable late, capping the game at 14-of-16 (87.5 percent) from the foul line and outscoring the guests 14-3 at the free throw line. 

Goss just missed a double-double with eight points and 11 rebounds and Williams closed with six points and four rebounds in limited minutes. Jackson sealed the game with an impressive one-handed dunk and closed with five points off the Jaguars' bench. Burk hit 3-of-8 from three-point range and delivered four assists in the win. In addition, the Indianapolis-native netted his 1,000th collegiate point in the game's first half, having totaled 776 in his two-year Campbell career and now 240 in an IUPUI uniform. 

IUPUI improved to 32-18 all-time against Purdue Fort Wayne and 20-5 in the 25 meetings in Indianapolis. 

IUPUI will return to action on Friday, Dec. 20 when the Jaguars trek west to face Fresno State at 7:00 p.m. Pacific (10 pm Eastern). That game will be aired on the Mountain West Network.