The University of Indianapolis men’s basketball team is hitting its stride at a crucial point in the season, as the Greyhounds have made GLVC competition their strong suit, winning five of their last seven games.
At 10–5 in conference play, the Greyhounds are surging at the right time as the regular season enters its final stretch.
“The defensive end is our number one priority,” said head coach Scott Heady. “We have played solid defensive halves, but we have yet to put together a full game of great defense.”
That mindset has been echoed by the players, who have taken pride in communication and effort on the defensive end of the floor. Several Greyhounds have stepped up as vocal leaders, helping the team maintain an identity at all times.
“We’re focused on doing whatever it takes to win,” said redshirt freshman Tyler Parrish. “We emphasize defense, rebounding and taking care of the ball. We’re focused on playing for a full 40 minutes.”
That approach has paid off during the Greyhounds’ recent stretch of conference play. In their wins, the Hounds have controlled games by out-rebounding opponents and winning the turnover margin, allowing the Greyhounds to close out games with control.
The Greyhounds’ offense has grown alongside their improved defense, with Carmelo Harris leading the way at 16.9 points per game in conference play and younger players like Parrish stepping up with increased minutes.
Since joining the starting lineup, Parrish has been a standout performer, scoring 20 or more points in multiple games and shooting 34-for-74 (46%) from three-point range, emerging as a key contributor to the offense.
“My teammates do a great job finding me,” Parrish said. “It’s really about all of us making the right play. Whether that’s me scoring or kicking it out to someone else.”
Heady also praised the physicality and impact of his frontcourt players, Center Kelvin Amoako and Forward Shaun Arnold.
“[Arnold] is just a dog,” said Heady. “He plays really hard. You know, he’s probably one of the best rebounders, if not the best in the league. Kelvin has been rock solid, too. We’ve really got a good inside-outside game going offensively right now.”
Amoako is the only player on the roster to have started all 21 games for the Hounds, nearly averaging a double-double (10.3 PPG, 8.0 RPG). Arnold, the most recent GLVC player of the week, averages 10.3 PPG and 8.4 RPG.
As the regular season winds down, the Greyhounds aim to carry their momentum into key conference matchups. Indianapolis is set to face two of the top teams in the GLVC, Illinois-Springfield and McKendree, in back-to-back games on Feb. 12 and 14. Victories in these matchups would boost the Greyhounds’ conference standing and position them for a stronger seed in the GLVC tournament.
