INDIANAPOLIS - Graduate transfer B.J. Maxwell scored a career-high 20 points and senior Azariah Seay tallied a career-best 15 off the IUPUI bench, but the Jaguars ultimately fell short to Chicago State, 61-55. IUPUI trailed 43-24 with 9:22 left, but stormed back behind Seay's hot hand to make things tight down the stretch. However, Chicago State (4-7) made enough free throws late to ultimately fend off the Jaguars. 

Seay scored all 15 of his points in the final nine-plus minutes and Maxwell scored 12 down the stretch to fuel the comeback. However, IUPUI (1-9) was unable to overcome a wretched start as the Jaguars shot just 32.1 percent from the floor for the game and was 8-of-40 at one point. 

Seay sparked a late 13-2 run with a wing three and then collected one of his four steals and hit both free throws after being fouled. Moments later, Bakari LaStrap collected a steal and raced the other way for a layup to get the lead under 10. Later, Maxwell drilled a wing three and after a CSU turnover, Seay hit an off rhythm three from the same spot to make it a two possession game with 41 seconds left. 

IUPUI was forced to foul down the stretch to extend the game and the Cougars cashed in, making 7-of-8 tosses in the final 31 seconds to stave off the hosts. 

"What I think changed (the game) was the guys played a little more free and a little more loose," head coach Matt Crenshaw said. "And then, when you're playing confident and you're playing loose and you're playing free, you tend to make shots. Our effort was through the roof and I was proud of the way they fought. 

"We got down 19 and didn't get discouraged and the guys kept their heads high and we clawed our way back. We did it all through our defense."

IUPUI held CSU to 37 percent shooting and forced 24 turnovers, but couldn't muster enough offense to make it stand. 

Dominique Alexander tallied a team-high 17 points for the Cougars and Brandon Betson finished with 15 points, all in the opening half. Jahsean Corbett also finished in double-digits with 14 points, but committed eight turnovers. 

IUPUI, which has struggled all season long with turnovers, committed just 11 and outscored CSU 22-4 in points off turnovers. 

Maxwell staked IUPUI to a 15-11 lead with 8:02 left before halftime, countering a prior trey from CSU's Carlo Marble. However, the Jags would proceed to finish the half by making just one of their final nine attempts, a Chuks Isitua putback, as the Cougars outscored the hosts 16-2 during that final stretch. Chicago State led 27-17 at the break as IUPUI shot just 6-of-27 overall and 2-of-11 from three in the opening stanza. Even the foul line was a struggle as the Jags made just 3-of-9 first half hoists before ultimately finishing 14-of-22 (63.6 percent) from the line. 

Seay, who came in averaging just 3.3 points per game and had just 10 points in the Jags' last five games combined, made 5-of-10 shots off the bench and also had four steals and three boards in just over 20 minutes of work. 

"I pulled AZ to the side and I told him, that's where the frustration lies at times because I know he can defend at this level and really defend with passion and switch off and guard opposing teams' point guards," Crenshaw said. "I told (Seay), that's my expectation for you at all times. 

"I told him that in front of the team and I told him that if you (defend), you'll be amazed because you'll get to the free throw line and you'll get some easy ones and see the ball go in and it'll really get you going. A lot of times we rely on jump shots to get us going and it's supposed to be the other way - let your defense get your offense going."

Boston Stanton III finished with six points and KJ Pruitt and LaStrap had five each. Isitua added four points and five boards. 

IUPUI will continue the four-game homestand on Tuesday (Dec. 21) when the Jaguars host Morehead State at 7:00 p.m. inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum. That contest will be aired on ESPN+ as Greg Rakestraw (pxp) and IUPUI Hall of Famer Bob Lovell (analyst) describe the action.