Vest's buzzer-beater lifts Indianapolis over No. 1 KWC - Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics

Box Score

No. 1 Kentucky Wesleyan College had no choice but to blanket hot-shooting guard Adrian Moss in the final eight seconds as Indianapolis raced upcourt and hoped for a game-winning shot.

But in smothering Moss near midcourt, KWC left Cody Vest open on the opposite wing, and the savvy Greyhound senior found the long-range shooting power forward for a 27-foot 3-pointer that lifted UI to an 80-77 win at the horn Saturday afternoon at the Sportscenter.

Vest, who averages 5.8 points per game, sent Wesleyan to its second loss of the season, both coming the same week the Panthers (15-2, 7-2 Great Lakes Valley Conference) moved into top spot in the Division II men's rankings.

“We knew the ball was going to go to Moss and we tried to take it out of his hands, which we did, but they ended up hitting the shot,” said KWC coach Todd Lee. “We rotated and contested the 3, but it was a big-time shot.”

The elusive 5-foot-9 Moss drew extra attention as the game wore on. Sometimes he fed open teammates and other times he shot, frequently off-balance. Yet he sank 5-of-10 3-pointers and was 8-of-8 from the foul line for a game-high 27 points.

The lead changed hands 17 times but Wesleyan, which trailed by nine with 9:40 to go, knotted things in the waning seconds. As UI (14-3, 7-2) nursed a 77-75 lead inside the final 30 seconds, Brandon Johnson stripped Moss near midcourt and the Panthers tied the game at 77 when Cornbread Walker scored on a transition layup with eight seconds left.

The drama unfolded after a UI timeout.

“Moss usually takes the last shot, but he made a good read when he saw he was getting doubled and threw it out to me,” Vest said. “I was watching what the defense was doing and when I saw the players leak Moss' way, I made sure to step back a little bit because I knew I'd be open.

“I was pretty far out. It was a little farther than I normally shoot.”

Lee changed his starting lineup, inserting Kreig Oxley and Marseilles Stewart and sitting Cornbread Walker and Anthony Young. Walker and Young entered the game at the 15:20 mark of the first half after the new starting unit took a 9-0 lead, but saw the margin slip to four, 11-7.

Johnson and Young co-led Wesleyan with 17 points while Walker added 14. Johnson also had eight assists.

“We're going to play the guys who are working hard and competing, and are all about the team,” Lee said. “We've been talking about accountability and not entitlement. We've got to be accountable for our actions and to the team, and how we're not entitled to anythng.

“We're still growing in that area.”

The biggest loss of the day may have come when Cardell McFarland (12 points) injured his foot with 18:41 left and did not return.

“He's headed to the hospital,” Lee said. “We're not sure if it's a broken foot or a torn tendon, but it doesn't look good.”

UI shot 53 percent from the field in the first half and led 43-40 at the break. The Greyhounds cooled off after intermission, hitting just 33 percent, but they made five 3's, all 14 of their foul shots and continued to hit the offensive boards, giving them extra possessions.

Wesleyan made 44 percent from the field for the game and got outrebounded by eight, 33-25.

“We did a poor job of boxing out,” Lee said. “The second half was a little better, but they got long rebounds off missed 3's and that hurt us.”

UI's win was its third stunner of the season. The Greyhounds also beat highly ranked Bellarmine on Dec. 1 and Southern Indiana on Thursday.

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