The IU East men's basketball team led by as much as 21 points in the 96-89 win against IU Southeast but had to overcome a late charge.
The win gives the Red Wolves an even 6-6 overall and 3-3 conference record. Tobey Billups and Colt Meyer both scored 22 points. Jake Johnson added 16 points and eight rebounds. Kobe Ward led with 12 rebounds to go with his six points.
IU Southeast held the lead just once in the game and that was in the first 18 seconds. Their layup gave them the 2-0 lead but it was gone when Johnson's layup a minute later tied the score. Johnson would then give the Red Wolves the lead for good with a 3-pointer. IUE would go on an 18-8 run to start the game in the first seven minutes.
They would run their lead to the game-high 21 points with Johnson's 3-pointer. IUE outscored the Grenadiers 53-35 in the first half.
In the second half, the Red Wolves held a double-digit lead for the majority of the half until the Grenadiers made their biggest run of the night. Trailing 68-50, IU Southeast went on a 22-8 run to cut their deficit two just four points.
IU East would respond in a big way. Billups hit a triple followed by an and-1 play from Jamisen Smith. Meyer would hit another 3-pointer for the 13 points lead. Smith and Billus followed suit with 3-pointers of their own to increase the lead to 17 points in a flash.
The Red Wolves shot 50.8 percent from the floor including 15-of-33 from beyond the arc. They made 19-of-26 free throws, good for 73 percent.
IUE will travel to Oakland City on Friday and Saturday in the Oakland City Invitational. The Red Wolves take on Saint Francis on Friday before taking on Campbellsville University Harrodsburg on Saturday.
Original source can be found here.
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