IUPUI holds on to beat Western Illinois 71-66

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Marcellus Barksdale scored a career-high 24 points and IUPUI hung on to beat Western Illinois 71-66 on Thursday night.

IUPUI (10-19, 6-9 Summit) held a nine-point lead at the half and extended it to 17 points behind Josh James' layup with 8:44 left to play. Western Illinois answered, going on a 20-7 run - with J.C. Fuller and Garret Covington scoring eight points apiece - to trail by three points with 36 seconds remaining.

Mason Archie II converted two at the line for the Jaguars, and Fuller answered with two free throws at the other end. But the Leathernecks scored just one more point and were unable to close the margin.

Barksdale scored 16 of his points in the first half, and shot 10 of 16 overall. Archie finished with nine points.

Covington scored 30 points, including five 3-pointers, to lead the Leathernecks (8-18, 3-12).