The IUS men’s basketball team played St. Louis College of Pharmacy during the first round of the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament on, Feb. 25.

IU Southeast was ranked No. 14 in the tournament.

The Grenadiers started out the first half slow. Both teams were close in points during most of the first half, but the St. Louis Eutectics were up by four.

After The Grenadiers came out during the second half, it was a completely different ball game.

Wiley Brown, IUS men’s basketball head coach, said the team looked at Eutectic’s stats and got ahead of themselves.

“Fear no one, respect everyone,” Brown said.

Brice Mitchell, junior forward, said he knew IU Southeast was coming into the first round of the tournament, and they had to get the win.

“Play every game like it was your last,” Mitchell said.

Brown said this is a young team.

“During the second half, they got their minds together and started playing defense,” Brown said.

The Grenadiers forced 22 turnovers on the Eutectics, while the Grenadiers had nine.

“We went into the big guys underneath a lot,” Brown said.

For Jake Simpson, freshman guard, the highlight of the game was the second half.

“How we came out the second half needs to be how we come out the first,” Simpson said. “We were more intense during the second half.”

Brown said they need their defense.

“You can always defend, but offense can have its good and bad days,” Brown said. “You have to have strong defense.”

Mitchell said he agrees defense and rebounding are important parts of the game.

“Defense makes offense go,” Mitchell said. “Every possession counts.”

Brown said he thinks his team is a good group.

“No individual can beat another team, but, as a group, they can,” Brown said. “We have to hit our open shots and stop people on defense.”

The Grenadiers beat the Eutectics, 95-50.

The Grenadiers have won the KIAC Tournament four years in a row.

“We’re hoping to make it to year five,” Brown said.

By TIFFANY ADAMS

Staff

adamstif@ius.edu