KOKOMO, Ind. – The IU Southeast men's basketball team withstood a late rally from IU Kokomo but hung on to defeat the Cougars 87-83 to win the River States Conference Men's Basketball Tournament championship on Tuesday.
 
Trent Hinkle had 29 points and 10 rebounds to lead IU Southeast. Cole Thomas had 12 points off of the bench and Camden Pfeister and Ethan Haddaway each had 11 points in the win.
 
A Trent Hinkle jump shot followed by a defensive rebound and layup by Hinkle put IU Southeast in front 25-21. IU Kokomo answered with four quick points to tie the game with nine minutes left in the first half.
 
IU Southeast took the game over with a 12-2 run over six minutes in the half. Cole Thomas sparked the offense with a three and then the Grenadiers shut down the Cougar offense.
 
IU Southeast did not allow a made field goal over six minutes and forced a pair of turnovers. Camden Pfeister hit a three from the corner to cap the run and give IU Southeast a 37-25 lead.
 
After IU Kokomo cut the lead to 39-31, Pfeister hit another three and the Grenadiers took a 43-31 lead at halftime.
 
Trent Hinkle had 12 points in the first half.
 
In the second half, the Grenadiers led by 12 early in the period. Then IU Kokomo cut the IU Southeast lead to five or six points on multiple occasions but each time IU Southeast hit a big shot to keep them at arm's length.
 
With the lead 47-42, Thomas hit a three, then at 50-44 Pfeister connected on a three-pointer.
 
After Alonzo Clawson-Smith scored to cut the lead to 53-46 with 15:34 to play, Eli Meyer hit a three on the wing.
 
Another Cole Thomas three-pointer stalled the Cougar momentum after they had cut the lead to 58-52 with 12 minutes to play.
 
Finally IU Kokomo cut the deficit to one possession when Kedric Anderson hit a three with nine minutes to go.
 
Bailey Temming got a layup off a nice inbounds pass to extend the lead to 68-64 with 6:43 left.
 
The Cougars would not go away as Clawson-Smith hit a three to cut the deficit to just one but Hinkle was fouled and hit a pair of free-throws with six minutes left.
 
Xavier Price hit a big three to push the Grenadier to 75-68 with five minutes left but the Cougars had one more rally in them.
 
They held IU Southeast scoreless for two minutes and a layup by Ty Willis cut the lead to 77-74.
 
Camden Pfeister stopped the 6-0 run with a layup with two minutes to play. Then Hinkle got a steal and layup to give IU Southeast a 81-74 lead with 1:48 left.
 
Ty Willis hit a three to cut the lead to 83-80 with 26 seconds left but Hinkle was fouled and hit a pair of free-throws.
 
Another three by Joseph Annan Jr. made it a two-point game, but Hinkle sealed the championship with two free-throws.
 
IU Southeast was 12-of-15 from the free-throw line to seal the win in the second half.
 
IU Southeast won its second tournament title in four years and is making its third NAIA tournament appearance in the last four years. The Grenadiers will learn their opening round site and opponent during the NAIA Men's Basketball Selection Show Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.