VALPARAISO, Ind. - The IUPUI basketball team used a strong second half to race past Valparaiso on Friday night (Nov. 10) inside the Athletics-Recreation Center, 66-56. With the win, IUPUI improved to 2-0 to start a season for the first time since 2009. 

Bryce Monroe led the way with 20 points and Vincent Brady II came off the bench to contribute 10 points. Senior John Egbuta also provided a major lift off the bench with eight points and a career-high 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. The Jaguars shot 47 percent from the floor after halftime, including hitting 5-of-9 from three-point range, while limiting Valpo to under 32 percent shooting for the evening. 

"For us, we knew our offense eventually would come," head coach Matt Crenshaw said. "In general, we haven't played that well offensively. 

"One message that we've been emphasizing to the team is that we can defend. It gives you a chance to win. If you defend it, rebound it and we got stops and when you do that constantly, constantly, constantly, and then we played unselfish and that gives you a chance to compete and win the game."

The IUPUI (2-0) offense opened 0-for-5 to start the game and never got rolling in the first half as seemingly every player in black struggled to find the mark. In an odd turn of events, Monroe had a transition layup wiped off the scoreboard three minutes after the fact, further compounding the offensive issues. Monroe got loose after a steal and was originally awarded a good basket because of a goaltending call. However, after the media timeout more than three minutes later, the officials erased the basket, deducting from an already scant total. 

The Jaguars closed the half at 9-of-31 (29.0 percent) from the floor, including missing all six three-point attempts. 

The second half was another story as IUPUI outscored the Beacons 45-31 and the offense was brilliant down the stretch. A Brady corner three put the Jaguars ahead 43-41 with 6:59 left before Valpo regained the lead with three makes at the foul line. The teams traded the lead before Monroe put IUPUI ahead to stay with 4:37 left on a tough drive. After a stop, Monroe scored on both ends of a one-and-one to make it a two-possession lead. 

Another defensive stop led to a Jlynn Counter basket after he had sat for much of the game due to foul trouble. IUPUI counterpunched each time Valpo scored down the stretch, including an Egbuta alley-oop from Brady after the Jaguars cut through the Beacon full-court press. 

Brady and Kidtrell Blocker each made late threes, the second of which coming with 1:31 to play to build an 11-point lead and send the home crowd to an early exit. 

"It feels good," Monroe said. "As a team, we've been talking about coming together as a team and getting road kills. We came here with the mindset that we had to go get this one - it was a must-win. And it felt good to get that dub."

IUPUI will return to action on Tuesday night (Nov. 14) when the Jaguars face in-state foe Indiana State at the Hulman Center at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+.