The Online Reflector

By Mandy Weber | Staff Writer

The University of Indianapolis men’s basketball team fell short of securing a position in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament.
However, the Greyhounds were able to hold other teams from a GLVC tourney bid.

UIndy finished off the season with a loss to the University of Wisconsin Parkside 83-92. Their final record on the season was 9-18, 4-14 in the GLVC. Senior Keith Radcliff was the top scorer of the night contributing 27 points.

Gouard said that he is very pleased with the work ethic of the team this year, and the fact that the team has never given up.

“Despite the circumstances and how we started off, we are getting better,” Gouard said. “We are making the right steps to building a foundation for the future.”

UIndy traveled to Rensselaer, Ind.,  to play the Saint Joseph Pumas Feb. 26. UIndy took the lead late in the first period, going into the half time with the Pumas trailing 44-46. In the second period, the ‘Hounds held the lead until St. Joseph’s made two free throw-shots that put them ahead 65-63. The Pumas would maintain the lead the rest of the game, defeating UIndy 74-72.

UIndy went on the road to face the No. 22 ranked Bellarmine University Knights on Feb. 24. Some leading players that game were seniors Keith Radcliff with 16 points, Tyke Cockerham and Tristan Rogers, whom both had 13 points. Despite this, the Greyhounds fell to the Knights 68-89.

On Feb. 19, the Greyhounds played Kentucky Wesleyan College at Nicoson Hall in one of the last games of the regular season.

UIndy led during the second half, tying KWC 64-64 with 1:18 left on the clock. In the last second of the game, KWC scored, defeating the ‘Hounds 66-64.

“We ended up losing to Kentucky Wesleyan on a last second shot, which was demoralizing,” Cockerham said.

Gouard said that the KWC game all came down to who was going to give in first.

“Those guys [Kentucky Wesleyan] capitalized [on] a lot of our mistakes, [and] we hung in there and fought hard until the end,” Gouard said. “It was some good defense by Tyke and great offense by TJ Smith.”

According to Gouard, this season the Greyhounds have battled a tough and brutal schedule.
The team played seven nationally ranked teams this season. Gouard said that if he could describe his team in one word, it would be “survivors.”

“These kids fought hard and never gave up, despite the many challenges of playing nationally ranked teams,” Gouard said. “We went through many storms, and still we got better every night [that] we set foot on the floor.”

Cockerham said that even with everything the team members have been through this year–good and bad–they are still a close group.

“Coach Gouard has been very instrumental to all of us this year and taught us more than just how to play this game,” Cockerham said. “He is one of the best coaches I have ever played for, and my feelings are the same towards the entire staff.”