YPSILANTI, Mich. - The IU Indianapolis men's basketball team made winning plays down the stretch in going on the road to defeat Eastern Michigan (1-2) inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center on Friday night (Nov. 14), 90-83. 

Freshman Maguire Mitchell scored a team-high 19 points and Micah Davis and Kyler D'Augustino scored 16 points apiece for the Jaguars and Finley Woodward finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Addison Patterson led EMU with 23 points on 8-of-10 shooting and Jon Sanders tallied 16 in the defeat. 

"I thought we did a good job of wearing them down," head coach Ben Howlett said. "We had some guys step up and make some big time plays down the stretch at both ends of the floor. Maguire Mitchell didn't look like a freshman tonight and I thought Jaxon Edwards was tremendous down the stretch. Same with Micah, I thought he was really good late in the game."

The game was knotted at 74 all with 6:08 to play, but the Jaguars continually made plays and never allowed EMU to take the lead. Mitchell drained a three off a D'Augustino find with 3:29 to play to extend the Jaguars' lead to 81-75. EMU scored the game's next four points, all at the free throw line, and had a potential game-tying layup come up empty with 1:20 to play. However, Edwards supplied the defense, captured the rebound and launched a long pass up the floor to Davis, who delivered a rhythm three to make it a two-possession game. 

After EMU crept within three on a Sanders drive, Mitchell retaliated with a drive of his own with 47 seconds remaining. After Sanders misfired on a three, Maguire captured the rebound and the Jaguars essentially iced the game from there. 

The Jaguars enjoyed their best shooting night of the season, hitting 54.7 percent from the field and 10-of-21 (47.6 percent) from three. EMU was limited to just 41.1 percent shooting and 7-of-25 (28 percent) from deep. 

The first half was similar to the second as the teams were largely even in the early stages before the Jags gained separation down the stretch. 

After EMU tied the score at 23 all on a Mak Manciel jumper, the Jaguars scored eight of the game's next 10 points, beginning on a Matt Compas three and followed by a Mitchell three. After Mitchell's hit, Reece Hagy stole the ensuing inbounds pass and scored from point blank to push the lead to six. 

After an EMU layup, Howlett opted to call timeout ahead of the under-4 timeout to ideally continue to wear down the Eagles before intermission. The Jaguars subsequently outscored EMU 18-11 over the final four minutes, capped by a Mitchell trey on the final possession to take a 49-38 halftime lead. The Jaguars shot 54 percent overall and 6-of-13 (46.2 percent) from three to build a double-digit advantage. 

Conversely, after a hot start, EMU cooled to shoot just 39 percent from the field and 3-of-10 from three. 

Mitchell finished 4-of-8 from deep while both Davis and Aiden Miller hit two threes apiece.

"I'm used to it," Mitchell said. "In high school, I was kind of the guy so I don't really get nervous in those situations. I just trust all the hard work I've put in and trust myself."

The Jags entered play ranked among the nation's leaders in steals, but collected just six on Friday while committing 18 turnovers. However, the Jaguars found stops down the stretch while clinging to the lead. 

"Defense is everything and honestly, that's how we're going to win games," Mitchell said. "Getting big stops like that - that's how we're going to win."

The Jaguars will continue the stretch of four straight games away from home on Tuesday, Nov. 18 when they face Charleston Southern at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+.