RICHMOND, Ind. - The IU Kokomo men's basketball team hit the road Saturday afternoon in search of its ninth straight win—and delivered—rolling past rival IU East by 15 points in a dominant road victory.

FAST FACTS - 96-81 win at IU East

• LOCATION: Lingle Court | Richmond, Indiana
• UPDATED RECORDS: IU Kokomo - 15-3 (5-1), IU East - 9-9 (1-5)
• NAIA TOP-25 RANKINGS: IU Kokomo - RV, IU East - N/A

THE RUNDOWN 

• The Cougars got on the board first with an early basket in the paint from Joseph Annan Jr., as the two teams traded leads in a tightly contested opening 20 minutes. IU Kokomo held a two-point advantage eight minutes in, but IU East responded with a 10-0 run to take an eight-point lead.
• The Red Wolves' lead grew to as many as 11, but the Cougars gradually chipped away at the deficit down the stretch. Trailing 41-34 with 2:14 remaining in the first half, IU Kokomo closed the half on a 7-0 run to tie the game at 41 heading into halftime.
• After exchanging buckets to open the second half, senior sharpshooter Evan Kretz hit a three-pointer to give IU Kokomo their first lead since the 12:25 mark of the first half. From there, the Cougars never looked back, delivering a strong second-half performance on the road.
• A Jake McGraw basket in the paint gave IU Kokomo a double-digit lead for the first time all game with nine minutes remaining, and the Cougars stretched it to 15 with 6:41 left. IU Kokomo held firm down the stretch, closing out the Red Wolves comfortably to earn their ninth straight win, 96-81, on the road.

LEADING THE CHARGE

• Freshman guard Jake McGraw led the Cougars for a second straight game in the win at IU East, pouring in a game- and career-high 29 points just one contest after scoring 27—his only two 20-plus point performances of his young collegiate career. McGraw also pulled down 10 rebounds to record his second career double-double.
• Four other Cougars scored in double figures, led by Alonzo Clawson-Smith with 18 points, seven assists, and four rebounds. Joseph Annan Jr. followed with his eighth double-double of the season, posting 17 points and 12 rebounds.
• Evan Kretz knocked down four three-pointers on his way to a 14-point, eight-rebound performance, while Kedric Anderson added 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field.

INSIDE THE HUDDLE

• "A key emphasis for our team this season has been being consistent in our approach and performing well while playing on the road. This can be challenging with a young roster but our players have been up to the challenge. I thought our team worked through a sluggish first half and made timely defensive stops down the stretch today. We are excited to get back to work preparing for a big game Tuesday at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods." - Head Coach Eric Echelbarger

THE ROAD AHEAD

• Next Game: 1/20 at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College - 6:00 PM
• Next Home Game: 1/24 vs WVU Tech - 3:00 PM

For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.