On Tuesday, Nov. 10, in a battle of top 25 teams, the IUS men’s basketball team defeated the University of St. Francis 84-71, in the Activities Building.
The Grenadiers are currently ranked No. 10 in the NAIA Division II Coaches’ poll, while the St. Francis Cougars are ranked No. 23 in the same poll.
The game started slow, with both teams having problems with fouls and turnovers.
However, the Grenadiers responded and pushed their lead to 23-9 with a little more than six minutes left to play in the first half.
“We got out on them early,” Rick Bodiford, junior guard, said.
IU Southeast’s lead grew to 17 points at the half. The Grenadiers went to the locker room leading by a score of 39-22.
The second half brought more turnovers and fouls for both teams.
“Defense in the second half was terrible,” Wiley Brown, men’s head basketball coach, said.
The Grenadiers forced 35 turnovers and had 15 steals in the game.
IU Southeast was led by Carlos Mitchell, senior guard, with 14 points, five rebounds and three assists. Alex Gravelle, senior guard, scored 13 points with one rebound and one assist. Both Kevin Slaughter, sophomore guard, and Brice Mitchell, freshman forward, scored nine points. Brice Mitchell also had eight rebounds.
Jazzmarr Ferguson, junior guard, Rick Bodiford, junior guard, and Craig Bryant, senior guard, all scored eight points for the Grenadiers.
Ferguson also had four steals and one block. Bodiford had two steals and two blocks.
Leading the Cougars was DeJovau Sawyer Davis with 17 points. Qadr Owens scored 16 points with two steals and three assists. Kevin Bloom scored 11 points and had two steals. Brad Sneary had 10 points and three steals.
Even though the Grenadiers won the game, Brown said he considered the game a loss.
“[We] lost another chance to improve,” Brown said.
By AMANDA FRENCH
Staff Writer
aafrench@ius.edu