BLOOMINGTON, IN – Host Indiana used a big second half to break away from South Carolina State in handing the Bulldogs a 102-60 loss Sunday at Assembly Hall in the iBN Las Vegas Classic.

SC State, playing its second game in the four-game Classic, led for a good bit of the first half and trailed by only eight at the break before being outscored 59-25 in the final 20 minutes to drop its second contest in three days.

Coach Tim Carter's team, which fell to 4-6 on the season, was led by Brandon Riley with 12 points and Darnell Porter with 11 in the loss. Omar Sanders and Joe Ikhinmwin added eight points each for the Bulldogs. Rio Pitt and Khalif Toombs had four rebounds each to lead SC State on the boards.

The Hoosiers, who climbed to 9-2 on the season, got 22 points from Christian Watford and 14 from reserve Matt Roth. Verdell Jones added 13 points and Derek Elston 10 in the victory. Victor Oladipo came off the bench for seven rebounds for IU.

The Bulldogs led 20-13 after Westley Telfare got a tip with just over 11 minutes to play in the opening half. The host battled back to take a 30-29 lead on an inside basket by Elston with 5:38 on the first-period clock.

SC State regained the lead on a Sanders layup but IU closed the period with a 13-4 run to take a 43-35 edge to the locker room.

IU started the final half with a 7-0 run to build a 15-point margin – 50-35-- with 18:48 to play, but a Pitt jumper and a 3-pointer by Riley cut the margin to 50-40 with 18:03 left. The Hoosiers took control of the game with a 24-6 spree that put the host ahead 74-46 with 12:43 showing. SC State was unable to cut into the margin the rest of the way.

“Their quick start in the second half was our undoing,” said Carter after the game. I believe four straight baskets (actually 3) to go up by about 15 points and we didn't respond. We did not do a good job in defending their perimeter guys in the second half. They must have shot a phenomenal percentage from the perimeter in the half.

“I was disappointed our team didn't fight harder,” he continued. “When they got the quick start, we seemed to let down a bit.”

The Hoosiers shot a blistering 68 percent in the second half and finished with 56 percent accuracy for the game. SC State, meanwhile, connected on just 32 percent in the final stanza after hitting at a 50 percent clip in the opening period for 41 percent for the game.

SC State will get a chance to even its record in Las Vegas where the final two games in the event will be played Dec. 22 and 23. The Bulldogs meet The Citadel Wednesday at 5 p.m. Eastern time and will face the winner of Wednesday's Longwood and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville matchup on Thursday at a time to be determined.

SC State is scheduled to return to Orangeburg Christmas Eve.
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