Red Wolves - IU East

Michael Baker left the Red Wolves' heads spinning.

Baker's pull-up jumper from 15 feet away with 2.3 seconds remaining lifted Ohio Christian University to a 77-76 victory against the Indiana University East men's basketball team on Nov. 17 at the Richmond High School Tiernan Center.

"I'm not a psychiatrist," IU East coach Mark Hester said. "It's 'want-to.' I said there is nothing I can put on this board Xs and Os-wise that can make you better.

"We just decide for whatever reason that we don't want to play that day, and that's what we came out like today."

The Red Wolves (4-4) had a four-game winning streak snapped. The Trailblazers, a National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association program, improved to 4-1.

"For an NAIA team to lose to an NCCAA team, even though they are very good, there is no excuse for that, especially at home," Hester said.

Baker's bucket spoiled a big comeback by IU East.

The Red Wolves trailed 67-53 with 9:15 remaining after a 3-pointer by Timothy Baker.

"We don't know what it is, but we can't start the game off right right now," said senior forward Justin Hawkins (Evansville, Ind,/Kentucky Wesleyan College).

IU East answered with an 18-4 run. The Red Wolves took the lead at 73-71 on a basket by junior guard Brent Burris (Indianapolis, Ind).

Junior guard Tyler Rigby (Bryant, Ind./Jay County High School) hit a 3-pointer with 2:31 to go to put the Red Wolves ahead 76-75, but IU East would not score again.

The Red Wolves' scouting report on Farrell read "big time shooter!!!" Farrell proved it with his big time basket from the right side for the game-winning points.

The Red Wolves got one more shot to pull out the win, but a desperation 3-pointer bounced hard off of the backboard.

Hawkins (Evansville, Ind./Kentucky Wesleyan College) led IU East with 17 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals.

Burris added 16 points. Rigby had 14. Senior guard Bijon Jones (Jackson, Tenn./Southeast Missouri State University) added 10 off of the bench.

Stefan Vasiloff led Ohio Christian with 16 points.

The Trailblazers outrebounded the Red Wolves 48-35 to offset IU East's turnover advantage. The Red Wolves forced 28 turnovers and committed 18.

"That's your ballgame right there," Hester said. "To give up that many rebounds .... give credit to Ohio Christian. They just did a phenomenal job of outplaying us."

IU East plays at IUPUI on Nov. 25. The game is an exhibition on the IU East schedule, but is a regular season game for the Jaguars.

"There's no such thing as a good loss, but we need to learn from starting off bad and then trying to climb back in the game in the second half," Hawkins said. "Hopefully that will wake us up and show us we can't always get behind and come back in the second half.

"We're going to get back to work in practice and get this turned around."

DEVELOPMENTAL SQUAD FALLS

The Indiana University East men's basketball developmental squad fell 102-80 against the Ohio Christian University junior varsity on Nov. 17 prior to the varsity contest.

Tyler Hensley scored 30 points to lead the Red Wolves. Tyler Bauchert (19 points) and Shawn Schuyler (18 points) also scored in double figures.

Kelly Bauchert contributed 7 points. Josh Weaver scored two points.

Anthony McDaniel scored 31 points for the Trailblazers.

The Red Wolves recovered from an early deficit and were within 32-31 before an Ohio Christian spurt made it 42-31 at the half.

The Trailblazers built a 20-point lead with hot shooting from all over the floor. IU East would get within 13, but no closer.