INDIANAPOLIS – The IU Indianapolis men's basketball team dropped a close one Thursday night (Nov. 14) in the Jungle, falling to an experienced and physical Eastern Michigan University side, 74-71. Paul Zilinskas shook off a slow start, scoring 20 points in the second half to lead the team with 25. Keenan Garner and Jarvis Walker each added 11 points while Sean Craig rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10.

Eastern Michigan (2-1) was paced by Jalen Terry, who led all scorers with 28 points, with 18 coming from beyond the arc. Terry also led his team with nine rebounds.

"I've never questioned this team's fight," exclaimed head coach Paul Corsaro after the game. "We need to do a better job not spotting that amount in the first half. [There were] a lot of self-inflicted mistakes tonight that unfortunately cost us the game. I felt that if we would have controlled the controllables we could have gotten that win, however, I think there's a lot to grow from tonight.
"I'm proud of our guys' fight and I felt our togetherness. I hate losing, but I know we will grow from this and get better."

The Jaguars got off to a great start, jumping out to an early eight-point advantage, 15-7. Walker led the charge, scoring the side's first five points and adding two free throws a few possessions later. The Jaguars, however, quickly cooled down, missing their next three shots to allow the Eagles to cut the deficit to one, forcing coach Corsaro to call a timeout.

Out of the break, Garner got the Jags back on the board, laying one in off an assist from Craig. A Nathan Dudukovich three on the very next offensive possession would increase the lead to six, 20-14.
A trio of three pointers by the visitors over the next couple minutes gave them the lead and the momentum. That momentum shifted, however, after Walker was fouled on a three-point attempt. EMU's Da'Sean Nelson, who committed the foul, received a technical for arguing the call. Walker then made four-of-five free throw attempts to cut into the deficit. Two more made free throws on the next possession, this time by Garner, made it a one-point game with just over four minutes remaining in the half.

The Eagles looked to extend the lead before the break, reaching a double-digit advantage for the first time in the contest with just under a minute remaining. A pair of Garner free throws and a last-second layup by Zilinskas cut the deficit to six as the teams went to the locker rooms.

Eastern Michigan came out swinging to start the second stanza, going on a quick 7-0 run to reach its largest lead of the game, 52-39, causing an IU Indy timeout. Coach Corsaro's team again would execute out of the huddle, with Zilinskas connecting from deep—his first of three treys.

The two sides battled back and forth over the next several minutes with neither side able to generate much momentum. A Craig three pointer, followed by a pair of free throws from Garner, cut the deficit to five, 67-62, with just over five minutes of play, igniting the home crowd which only got louder after Zilinskas made it just a two-point game after another two points from the charity stripe.

With just under a minute remaining, the Jags forced a tough jumper and grabbed the rebound, but a heads-up play by EMU's Terry forced a turnover and a layup to extend the lead back to six. After the teams exchanged a pair of free throws, Zilinskas knocked down a triple as time expired to make it a three-point loss, 74-71, for the hosts.

IU Indy will now prepare for a trip to Ames, Iowa, where it will take on the No. 7 ranked Iowa State. Tip is set for 7:00 p.m. CT with ESPN+ having the broadcast.