INDIANAPOLIS - Despite putting four players in double-digits, the IUPUI basketball team dropped its Horizon League opener on Saturday afternoon (Dec. 28) as visiting Youngstown State outlasted the Jaguars, 83-73, inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Marcus Burk and Jaylen Minnett tallied a team-high 16 points each and junior Elyjah Goss registered his fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and 18 rebounds in the loss. Isaiah Williams added 14 points and five boards for the Jaguars. 

Darius Quisenberry finished with 23 points and six assists and Naz Bohannon contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds as Youngstown State (8-6, 1-0 HL) ran away with the win in the game's final four minutes. 

Bohannon ignited a decisive 14-1 run late in the game after IUPUI had built a 67-64 lead on a Williams layup with 4:23 remaining. Michael Akuchie stroked a corner three to tie the score with 4:09 remaining, then blocked a Goss' layup attempt on the ensuing possession, which ultimately resulted in an IUPUI shot clock violation. On YSU's next trip, Bohannon took advantage of a mismatch on the inside and pumped in a three-point play. After the teams traded turnovers, Quisenberry made it a two-possession game with 2:37 left with a driving layup and Jelani Simmons extended the lead to 74-67 at the free throw line with 2:03 left. 

Williams split a pair of free throws to give the Jags life, but Quisenberry shook loose for an easy layup with 1:47 remaining to seal the win. 

The game featured nine ties and 11 lead changes as neither side led by more than 10 until the closing minutes. 

IUPUI (4-10, 0-1 HL) was fortunate to even be in the fight late in the game on a day in which it made just 12-of-28 (42.9 percent) from the free throw line. The Jaguars made just 6-of-17 (35.3 percent) second half free throw attempts, which included a stretch of six straight misses at one point. 

"It wasn't necessarily anything that Youngstown did, so much that we just missed a bunch of free throws," head coach Byron Rimm II said. "I think we beat ourselves more than they beat us tonight. It wasn't what (YSU) did or didn't do, it was that we didn't knock down free throws. That was the story of the game."

IUPUI trailed 41-38 at the intermission and saw YSU extend the lead to 56-46 early in the second half as both teams came out hot. After Donel Cathcart put the Penguins up 10 at the 15:51 mark, Minnett immediately countered with a long three of his own off a Williams assist. Burk then split a pair of foul shots and Goss scored in close to make it a 56-52 game. Later, Grant Weatherford scored on a short jumper before Burk tied the score at 56 all on a short baseline jumper. 

From that point, it was a see-saw affair until Youngstown State fired off the final run in the game's closing minutes. 

Youngstown State shot 53 percent overall and 41 percent from three-point range as Quisenberry was 9-of-12 from the floor and Bohannon went 8-of-10. Simmons chipped in 12 points off the YSU bench and Akuchie closed with 11 points and seven boards. 

Minnett finished 6-of-13 from the floor and 4-of-9 from three-point range, extending his personal streak to 50 straight games with at least one made triple. He also delivered six assists and added a steal. Burk was just 5-of-17 overall and 2-of-8 from deep while also finishing with three assists and two steals. Goss grabbed 11 of his 18 boards off the offensive glass and drew eight fouls in his 36 minutes of work. Williams, who had made just two treys all season long, hit 2-of-4 from deep on Saturday, including a make on the game's opening possession. Weatherford finished with seven points and three rebounds. 

Freshman Mike DePersia had two points, three assists and two steals off the bench. 

IUPUI will continue the two-game homestand on Monday night (Dec. 30) when the Jaguars host Cleveland State in Horizon League action. Steve Max, the renowned Simon Sez caller, will provide the halftime entertainment. Tickets are available via TicketMaster or at the Coliseum box office during normal business hours. The game will also be broadcast on ESPN+ as Greg Rakestraw (pxp) and IUPUI Hall of Famer Bob Lovell (analyst) will be on the call.