Red Wolves - IU East

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. - The Red Wolves started the new decade by getting nicked in Barbourville.

The Indiana University East men's basketball team fell 94-82 at Union College on Jan. 2.

The Red Wolves trailed by 21 points in the first half. They would get as close as five points in the second half, but their comeback bid fell short.

The Bulldogs (8-7) won their third consecutive game. IU East fell to 8-6.

Union avenged a 78-59 loss at IU East on Nov. 10. It was the Red Wolves' first double-digit loss of the regular season.

IU East coach Mark Hester's pregame message to his team ended with an encouragement to make the 2010s the "Decade of the Wolf."

Instead, IU East's first game of the new decade turned into the "Day of the 'Dogs."

Hot shooting from Union, cold shooting by IU East and a big rebounding advantage for the Bulldogs resulted in a 48-27 lead for Union in the final minute of the first half.

Union shot 53 percent in the first half. IU East hit just 35 percent of its shots in the first 20 minutes.

"Giving up penetration and offensive rebounds were the main thing," said sophomore point guard David Sanders (Indianapolis, Ind./Beech Grove High School). "We were giving up way too much penetration."

The Red Wolves would get within 73-68 with 6:46 remaining, but no closer.

"We knew we were going to make a run," Sanders said. "We made our run, buut we got tired out and couldn't sustain our run."

Junior guard Tyler Rigby (Bryant, Ind./Jay County High School) led IU East with 23 points. Rigby is now 29 points shy of the Red Wolves' NAIA career scoring record.

Senior forward Justin Hawkins (Evansville, Ind./Kentucky Wesleyan College) added 15 points. Sanders (13 points) and Brent Burris (11 points) also reached double figures. Burris (Indianapolis, Ind.) led IU East with eight rebounds and four assists.

Darrel Jackson led five Union players in double figures with 21 points.

IU East opens Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Jan. 6 at reigning KIAC champion Indiana University Southeast.

Tip time is 7 p.m.