Homecoming 2011 proved to be a special night for the 21st-ranked IUS men’s basketball team.
Not only did the Grenadiers annihilate the visiting Eutectics of St. Louis College of Pharmacy 95-38, but a few players were honored in pre-game ceremonies.
Rick Bodiford, senior guard, Jazzmarr Ferguson, senior guard, and James Johnson, senior forward, were all honored on senior night.
“I couldn’t be more proud of these three guys,” IUS head coach Wiley Brown said. “To see them having fun on their night was great.”
This game also saw the season’s largest and most energetic crowd. Approximately 950 people attended the games located in the Activities Building.
“This was a great crowd,” Brown said. “These fans were amazing. We had a wave going on up in here. We’ve never had that before.”
IU Southeast took control of the ball from the tip-off, but it took two minutes and a few trips down the court before Reginald Breeden, freshman guard, got it going with the first of his 17 points for the Grenadiers before going on a 6-0 run.
Ferguson then recovered the ball off the foot of Eutectics’ Sumir Dixit, junior guard, scoring and extending it to an 8-0 run before the Eutectics’ Luke O’Brien, junior guard, scored their first 4 points.
Exploding on another run of 9-2, the Grenadiers extended their lead and the score
to 17-6.
The Eutectics struggled with the defensive play of the Grenadiers, who held them to just 25-percent shooting at the half.
The Grenadiers’ shooting percentage wasn’t much better at 33 percent, but they went into the break leading 45-19.
Halftime couldn’t have come at a better time for the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, but the prescription for some rest provided no relief.
The Grenadiers had the remedy in the second half with their continued dominance of the boards at both ends and outscoring the Eutectics 50-19.
Familiar with the Eutectics style of play, Brown said he knew they would come in and play hard, but he had nothing more than a simple plan for the three seniors.
“I just told them to have fun and don’t get injured,” Brown said, “and we accomplished those things.”
Eutectics head coach Brian Swift said being without their 6-foot-6 center Alec Daily, who is out with an ankle injury, hurt them.
“I am proud of these guys though,” Swift said. “We just gave them chance after chance to score.”
Swift summed up the loss.
“Three years into coaching this team, it was really frustrating,” Swift said, “but I realized we’re not producing NBA players here. We are producing doctors.”
Leading all scores with 27 points, Ferguson said he was proud to have such a big win on this final homecoming game as a senior.
“This is so very special to me,” Ferguson said, “but it’s more than just this game — to be here all four years not only athletically but academically.”
Bodiford, who had 9 points and a double-double of 17 rebounds and 11 assists, said even though he was 1 point shy of having a triple-double, it was great to go out with a bang.
“It’s a little upsetting to miss it by a point,” Bodiford said, “but you got to let it go. I wasn’t into my stats anyway. I just really wanted to get my teammates
involved.”
By STEVE NICHOLS
Staff
stevnich@umail.iu.edu