Senior Ben Nicoson, a Center Grove High School product, drives against an opponent. Nicoson has played in 102 games for the Greyhounds.
| By Al Stilley Editor Seeking to extend a 16-game winning streak, the No. 7 University of Indianapolis men’s basketball team returns to Nicoson Hall and the Ray Skillman Court for their last two regular season home games Thursday and Saturday. The Greyhounds resume action against Drury at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and against Southwest Baptist on senior day at 3 p.m. Saturday. Then it’s back on the road to Missouri for two final regular-season games before the all-important Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) tournament at St. Charles, March 2-5, where they can qualify for the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional that begins March 11. Coached by third-year mentor Paul Corsaro (Roncalli Class of 2007), the Greyhounds are making noise with their 22-2 overall and 14-2 record in the rugged GLVC. They are coming off a two-game Missouri road trip after defeating Rockhurst in Kansas City, 67-60 Thursday night and William Jewell in Liberty, 64-60 Saturday afternoon. UIndy’s win at Rockhurst avenged its only homecourt loss of the season, 71-61 on Dec. 3, 2022; they have not lost a game since then. And they have been ranked among the top-10 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) poll for the first time since 2015. The streaking Greyhounds have displayed balanced scoring with a tenacious defense that has held all opponents to an average of only 62.3 points per game while scoring 77.3 points. They have forced foes into 13.4 turnovers while committing only 9.6 miscues per game. And they average an impressive 16.5 points off turnovers. It all adds up to an outstanding hardwood campaign with Corsaro and senior guard Ben Nicoson, a Center Grove High School product. Corsaro is eligible for the NCAA DII national coach of the year after being named a HoopDirt.com national DII coach of the week on Jan. 23. Corsaro’s hardwood roots are at Roncalli High School where he is the all-time leading scorer with 1,150 career points and at the University of Indianapolis. His defensive emphasis was founded at Roncalli where the 2006-2007 team held foes to only 44.4 points per game during a 20-2 season. Nicoson has played in all 24 games, about 13 minutes per game, with 54 total points and 23 assists. He opened this season with a season-high 10 points against Ohio Dominican. He has started six games this season. Nicoson has played in 102 games In his Greyhound career and has brought honor to the program. He is a three-time academic all-GLVC member and a two-time GLVC Brother James Gaffney Disinguished Scholar. The 6-0 guard also is a fourth-generation student-athlete, son of UIndy golf coach Brent Nicoson, grandson of former UIndy football player and assistant coach Dan Nicoson, and great-grandson of legendary basketball coach Angus Nicoson, whom the UIndy home venue is named. He is majoring in exercise science / pre-physical therapy. He is among three Southsiders with the Greyhounds, including freshman Ajay Holubar from Center Grove and 6-2 guard Eric Monkhaus, who transferred from Denver University. Monkhaus played for Greenwood High School where he is the program’s No. 5 all-time scorer. The Greyhounds are led this season by 6-6 redshirt sophomore guard Jesse Bingham, 15.9 points, a Warren Central product, and 6-7 junior center Kendrick Tchoua, 13.7 points, from Maryland. |  Greyhounds coach Paul Corsaro is in his third season at the UIndy men’s basketball helm. He is a 2007 graduate of Roncalli High School where he holds the career scoring record.  Freshman Ajay Holubar passes to a Greyhound teammate in his first year at UIndy after playing at Center Grove High School.  Junior Eric Monkhaus is a transfer from Denver University and a product of Greenwood High School. |
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