INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI basketball team will return to action on Monday (Dec. 12) when the Jaguars host Spalding University at 11:00 a.m. inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Monday's game marks the program's annual NCAA Readers Become Leaders Day as more than 3,000 third-graders will be in attendance to celebrate the importance of reading at a young age. In addition, Boomer from the Pacers will entertain the crowd at halftime and will be joined by a collection of other mascots, including Clifford the Big Red Dog and Booker from the Indianapolis Public Library will be in attendance.

On the court, IUPUI (1-8) is coming off a rough two-game road trip to open Horizon League play, suffering losses at both Milwaukee and Green Bay. Freshman Vincent Brady II started league play with a bang, averaging 17.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game during that span, including a career-high 18 points (5-9 FG, 3-6 3's, 5-5 FT) at Milwaukee on Dec. 3. At Green Bay, he closed with 17 points and a season-high six boards and four assists with no turnovers. Sophomore Jlynn Counter continued to man the lead guard spot with Bryce Monroe sidelined and averaged 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game to open league play. 

For the season, Monroe leads the team in scoring (12.0 ppg) and has 15 assists against just 10 turnovers, but has been limited to four appearances. Counter checks in at 11.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while Brady sits at 8.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. Graduate transfer Chris Osten averages 7.7 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game, while also sitting tied for the team lead in blocked shots (7). 

Freshman Amhad Jarrard is coming off his best game of the season, having scored 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting at Green Bay. 

QUOTABLE
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. 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," head coach Matt Crenshaw said following the loss at Green Bay. 

SCOUTING SPALDING
Spalding comes in at 1-7 on the season and 0-5 away from home. Anthony Dillard leads the Golden Eagles in scoring (13.7 ppg) and is second on the team in rebounding (7.1 rpg) while Maxton Campbell is second on the team in scoring (8.4 ppg) and tops on the boards (7.9 rpg). Spalding shoots 39.1 percent from the floor and allows opponents to connect on 42.2 percent overall and 34 percent from deep. Three other Spalding players - Jacoby Johnson (7.9 ppg), Charlie Storm (7.9 ppg) and Andre Crawford (7.6 ppg) - average just under eight points per game. 

SERIES HISTORY
IUPUI is 1-0 all-time against Spalding, having won a meeting on Nov. 23, 2021 by a 61-41 score in Indianapolis. Two current Jaguars were in the starting lineup for that win as Boston Stanton III (8 pts, 2 ast) and Jonah Carrasco (8 pts, 6 reb, 2 blk) both contributed to the victory. 

UP NEXT
IUPUI will cap the quick two-game homestand on Saturday (Dec. 17) when the Jaguars host Eastern Illinois at noon inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum. That game will be the annual Holiday Hoops Game as fans will be given a FREE ticket if they bring an unwrapped toy to benefit the kids of the Ruth Lilly Women and Children's Center and other communities in need.