The IUS men’s basketball team won their game against Mid-Continent University, 106-88, during the fifth annual Joe. B. Hall and Denny Crum Classic in the Activities Building on Nov. 4.

This was the first win of the season for the Grenadiers, as they lost their season opener to Georgetown University, 100-92.

“It’s big for our guys,” Wiley Brown, IUS men’s basketball head coach, said about his team’s first victory.

Nick Gagel, senior guard, also said it was a positive win.

“We needed to come out and protect our house,” Gagel said.

The Grenadiers were down three players in this game.

Antoine Watson, senior forward, got a broken wrist in the Crimson and Cream game on Oct. 27. Darryl Bell, senior guard, is ineligible for the first semester of the season due to not having enough credits, and Travis Bowman, junior guard, has yet to be cleared by the NAIA to play after his transfer from the University of Louisville.

Brown said he was hopeful that Bowman would be cleared to play by Nov. 4.

“We were hoping he’d get cleared tonight,” Brown said.

Bell will have to sit out until final grades from this semester are turned in, and Watson is expected to return from his injury in four to six weeks.

While three of the Grenadier’s stars are sidelined, it didn’t affect the amount of offense the team had. Six players scored in double-digits.

“These guys are relentless,” Brown said about filling the void of three of his top players.

Haris Batalevic, junior guard, is one player who stepped up in this game. He scored 16 points for the Grenadiers and made four of the eight three-pointers — three of which came in a row to start the second half.

“That’s my main thing,” Batalevic said. “If I get hot, I might go five, six straight.”

However, Batalevic was not the only one to get on a hot streak in the game as Jake Simpson, freshman guard, shot four for six from behind the three-point arc and had a team high of 19 points.

Winston Bennett, Mid-Continent University head coach, said he felt the reason behind his team’s loss was the three-point shooting from IU Southeast. The Grenadiers made 16 three-pointers, in the game and shot 43 percent from behind the arc.

“I told them IUS was a great three-point shooting team,” Bennett said.

The Grenadiers gained an added bonus with the return of Joe Lawson, sophomore forward, who sat out the first game against Georgetown for disciplinary reasons. He managed a double-double, with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

“I’m just happy I could help my team win,” Lawson said.

The Grenadiers scored in the triple digits.

“We shoot the ball really, really well,” Brown said. “We have some great shooters.”

Gagel said he agreed.

“We’re going to put some points on the board,” Gagel said. “So, just keep looking forward to that.”

While the Grenadiers managed to put a significant amount of points on the board, Brown said he still was not pleased with the effort his team gave on defense.

The Grenadiers allowed the Cougars to score 88 points. Brown said he wants them to keep the opposition in the 60s and 70s.

“We’ve got to start playing defense,” Brown said. “We’re not there yet.”

In the second half, the Cougars had a 10-0 run to bring them within 10 points of the Grenadiers. Brown quickly called a timeout, and the Grenadiers managed to score 10 straight points to win the game.

Larry Thompkins III, Mid-Continent senior forward, led all scorers in the game, with 27 points.

Bennett said he was disappointed in his team’s loss, and his team failed to listen to the scouting report.

“A loss is always hard to swallow,” Bennett said.

By JOSH WILSON

Staff

wilsjosh@ius.edu