KOKOMO, Ind. – The IU Southeast men's basketball team fell 66-62 to IU Kokomo on Tuesday.
Jaden Johnson had 14 points and
Bailey Temming added 13 points and eight rebounds.
"Another game where we were one rebound away from beating a really good team. Back to the lab," said head coach
Wiley Brown.
The Grenadiers trailed 12-2 to open the contest but finally got the offense going and came back to tie the game at 25 with 4:41 to play in the half.
Bailey Temming scored to put the Grenadiers in front for the first time but the Cougars closed the half on a 10-2 run to take a 35-29 lead to halftime.
Jaden Johnson had nine of his 14 points in the first half.
In the second half, Evan Kreitz hit one of two free-throws to make it a 43-34 advantage for IU Kokomo with 16:48 to play.
IU Southeast responded with a 12-2 run to go back in front. Consecutive three-point plays by
Keaton Baird cut into the deficit and the back-to-back three-pointers by
Nathaniel Hoffman put the Grenadiers in front.
With the score tied at 52, the Cougars pulled away on a 6-0 run. A layup by
Ethan Haddaway cut the lead to 60-57 with four minutes to play but an offense rebound and foul allowed Annan Joseph Jr. to hit a pair of free-throws.
Jordan Treat hit a big three-point to cut the lead to two. The teams traded turnovers before Alonzo Clawson-Smith scored to make it a 64-60 lead with two minutes to go.
Ethan Haddaway scored again and the Grenadiers got a pair of stops. IU Southeast had two chances to tie or take the lead after a missed jumper and offensive rebound by Hoffman but
Trent Hinkle's attempt would not fall.
The Grenadiers travel to Midway Saturday at 3 p.m.