Short-handed Mad Ants take down first-place Raptors

The REPORTER

The Indiana Mad Ants hosted the Raptors 905 (Toronto Raptors affiliate) on Tuesday night. In a crucial matchup against the 1st place Raptors 905, the Mad Ants prevailed with a 116-112 final. Quenton Jackson dished out a career-high 13 assists while Dakota Mathias scored 26 points in a double-double performance. Indiana improves to 11-5 in the regular season.

Cameron McGriff scored the first points of the night for the Mad Ants. On the second possession of the game, the Oklahoma State alum found an opening in the lane and threw down a thunderous one-handed dunk. On the next possession, McGriff scored on a contested mid-range jumper.

Indiana trailed 10-8 approaching the seven-minute mark of the first quarter. McGriff tied the game with a baseline jumper. A minute later, Obadiah Noel regained the lead for Indiana with a close-range floater.

The Mad Ants had a 20-12 lead at the 2:27 mark of the first quarter. On the next possession, Ishmael Lane scored his first points of the night with a close-range field goal. Dakota Mathias scored his first points of the night with a one-for-two free throw. On the next possession, Mathias scored with a mid-range jumper. At the end of the first quarter, Indiana had a 26-18 lead. McGriff led the team with eight points.

Mathias scored the first points for the Mad Ants in the second quarter. After getting fouled, the Purdue alum converted the one-for-two free throw. With 10:45 to go in the first half, Indiana had a 28-23 advantage.

Halfway through the second quarter, Jahlil Okafor used a spin move on his way to a layup. Two possessions later, Mathias connected on a mid-ranger jumper. The Mad Ants had a 46-38 lead with 5:30 left in the first half.

With two and half minutes remaining in the half, Okafor was left wide open under the rim, and he finished with a one-handed dunk. His field goal gave Indiana their largest lead of the night at 11. Quenton Jackson added to the lead with a running layup on the next possession. Next time down the floor, Mathias knocked down a three-pointer. The Mad Ants had a 59-50 lead at the end of the first half. Okafor led Indiana with 12 points.

The Mad Ants opened up the second half with two empty possessions. Okafor scored the first points of the third quarter with a long-range two-pointer. The veteran big man scored on the next possession with a mid-range jumper. Indiana had a 63-53 lead with 9:30 to go in the quarter.

Indiana had a 71-58 lead at the 6:53 mark of the third quarter. Out of the media timeout, Mathias made a one-for-two free throw after drawing a foul. A minute later, Obadiah Noel was fouled and knocked down his one-for-two free throw attempt.

Under three minutes to go in the quarter, Jackson scored after recovering an offensive rebound. The two-way guard scored on the next possession with a running layup. The Raptors 905 went on a scoring run towards the end of the quarter to cut into the deficit. Indiana had an 84-81 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Mathias and Okafor each had 19 points for the Mad Ants.

Stephan Hicks scored the first points of the fourth quarter. The veteran guard grabbed an offensive rebound and scored a mid-range floater. Okafor scored on the next possession with a close-range floater. Jackson recorded his ninth assist on the play.

The Raptors 905 fought back and took a one-point lead in the early part of the fourth quarter. The two clubs traded buckets for a few minutes resulting in a 103-98 lead for Indiana at the 7:22 mark. Hicks made back-to-back three-pointers to extend the lead for Indiana.

Indiana led 108-102 with 3:30 remaining in regulation. McGriff extended the lead with a three-pointer giving him 19 points on the night. Roughly a minute later, Harmon drove the lane, drew a foul and made his one-for-two free throw attempt. With the 905 not backing down, Indiana had a 113-108 lead with two minutes to go.

At the 1:08 mark, a foul on Mathias resulted in two free throws for the Raptors and cutting the Mad Ants lead to three points. Indiana turned the ball over on their next possession. The defense provided a crucial stop on the next possession for 905. Indiana led by three with 34 seconds to go.

With a chance to tie the game, the Raptors were stymied again by the Mad Ants defense. After a missed three-pointer, the Mad Ants were fouled stopping the game clock at 10 seconds. Harmon was fouled on the inbound pass. The Texas Tech alum made both free throws to give the Mad Ants a five-point lead.

The Indiana Mad Ants will conclude their four-game homestand on Saturday when they face the Motor City Cruise (Detroit Pistons affiliate). That game will be Marvel Superhero Night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse with the Mad Ants wearing Wolverine-themed jerseys. These jerseys will be auctioned off with the proceeds benefiting the Noblesville Schools Foundation.