GREEN BAY, Wisc. - The IUPUI basketball team nearly rallied from a 15-point deficit before ultimately falling short on the road at Green Bay on Monday (Dec. 5), 68-61. Freshman Vincent Brady II scored a team-high 17 points in the loss and fellow freshman Amhad Jarrard added a season-high 12 points. Sophomore Jlynn Counter flirted with a double-double with nine points and eight rebounds from his guard spot. 

Green Bay (1-7, 1-1 HL) got a game-high 20 points from Zae Blake and Clarence Cummings III finished with 16 points. Garren Davis added 13 points off the Green Bay bench. 

The host Phoenix used the three-point line to foil the Jaguars, hitting 8-of-20 (40 percent) attempts, including seven in the first half as they built a 32-24 advantage. The capper was a running Blake banker to end the first half to give the Phoenix their largest lead of the opening 20 minutes. 

IUPUI connected on just 4-of-22 attempts (18.2 percent) for the game, which included a late make in the closing seconds with the outcome decided. 

"This one was tough because (Green Bay) hasn't been a great three-point shooting team this season and they made some contested ones in the first half to kind of get themselves going," head coach Matt Crenshaw said. "Give (Green Bay) credit, they played with a lot of energy and a lot of fight and I didn't think we matched their energy at times. 

"We knew this would be tough, playing a morning game in front of thousands of school kids. They fed off that energy and made it tough on us today."

IUPUI closed within eight after Amhad Jarrard got down the lane and thundered home a one-handed dunk and Brady then collected a steal in the backcourt and dropped in a layup, making it 51-43 with 7:00 to play. However, Green Bay responded with six straight points, all at the rim, to rebuild a 14-point lead. IUPUI loaded up for one last run, ultimately cutting the lead down to five. Amhad Jarrard scored six points during the burst, making it 61-56 with 1:34 left. IUPUI got a defensive stop when Jonah Carrasco blocked a jump shot, giving the Jags the opportunity to creep closer. However, IUPUI came up empty on the ensuing offensive trip and the Jaguars were forced to foul to extend the game. Green Bay cashed in on free throws down the stretch to set the final margin. 

IUPUI shot a respectable 46.2 percent from the floor and outscored Green Bay 34-26 in the paint. Both Daylan Hamilton and Armon Jarrard scored six points each off the bench and Carrasco finished with four points, two boards and three blocked shots. Each team committed 17 turnovers with IUPUI cashing in on a 23-10 margin in points off turnovers. 

IUPUI will return home to host back-to-back games, beginning with Monday's (Dec. 12) annual Readers Become Leaders tilt with Spalding University inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum. That game will tip-off at 11:00 a.m. inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Tickets are available by clicking here.