Mad Ants Score Season-High 127 Points in Showcase Victory

By Indiana Mad Ants Staff /December 21, 2024

Orlando, Fla. - The Indiana Mad Ants played their first of two Winter Showcase games Friday night against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. With all three two-way players active for the first time this season, the offense was in full force and scored a season-high 127 points. Enrique Freeman, Quenton Jackson and Tristen Newton combined for 52 points. Dakota Mathis scored a team-high 27 points on a career-best six three-pointers. Indiana defeated Rio Grande Valley 127-115.

Jahlil Okafor scored the first points of the night for the Mad Ants. Off a pass from Quenton Jackson, Okafor was fouled and made his one-for-two free throw attempt. With the game tied at five, Okafor scored four points while Jackson added a two-handed dunk. Early in the game, Indiana had an 11-8 lead.

At the halfway point of the first quarter, Tristen Newton connected on a three-pointer to give the Mad Ants a 21-19 advantage. Newton connected on his first four field goal attempts with three of them being from downtown.

With just under 3:30 remaining, Dakota Mathias made back-to-back contested three-pointers to give the Mad Ants a 31-25 lead. With time winding down in the quarter, Okafor counted for four consecutive points for the Mad Ants including a layup and a one-for-two free throw. Kyle Mangas beat the buzzer with a running layup in the lane. Indiana led the Vipers 37-31. Newton led all scorers with 11 points.

De’Vion Harmon scored the first points for the Mad Ants in the second quarter. Harmon absorbed contact, made the layup, and completed the three-point play with a made free throw. Enrique Freeman, a two-way forward, made his first appearance with the Mad Ants. Freeman scored his third field goal of the night at the 10-minute mark of the second quarter. Early in the quarter, Indiana had a 42-34 lead.

At the halfway point of the second quarter, Mathias put in a layup to put the Mad Ants over 50 points. Indiana had a 51-46 lead. Harmon added to the lead with a corner three forcing Rio Grande Valley to call a timeout.

Down the stretch, Mathias hit an off-balance baseline jumper at the end of the shot clock. Newton found Freeman for a last-second layup at the end of the half. Indiana had a 67-58 lead after one half. Freeman and Newton each had 14 points. Newton was 5-for-5 from the field including 4-for-4 from three-point range.

On the first possession of the second half, Okafor made three points the hard way after getting fouled, making the shot, and sinking the free throw. Jackson followed that up with a fastbreak layup on the next possession. The two-way scored on the next two possessions capitalizing on empty possessions from the Vipers. Two minutes into the second half, the Mad Ants had a 76-60 lead.

At the halfway point of the third quarter, Cameron McGriff was fouled and went to the line for the one-for-two free throw attempt. With the made free throw, Indiana’s lead was 83-73. At the 4:35 mark, Newton drove the lane, spun around a defender and made the layup. He was fouled on the play and converted the free throw to complete the three-point play.

In the final minutes of the third quarter, McGriff knocked down a corner three. His field goal made it a 104-81 lead for the Mad Ants, their largest lead of the night at that time. Mangas, with time winding down in the quarter, sank a three-pointer to extend the lead. After three quarters of action, Indiana led the Vipers 107-83. Mathias led the team with 20 points.

In the fourth quarter, Mathias scored the first points for the Mad Ants. Off the pass from Newton, Mathis knocked down a corner three to give Indiana 110 points on the night.

Halfway through the quarter, Okafor made a contested layup giving him 21 points. With 5:16 remaining in regulation, the Mad Ants had a 117-98 lead. 40 seconds later, a flagrant foul was assessed while Jackson was attempting a highlight dunk. Jackson made the free throw to give him 17 points.

At the 3:20 mark, Josiah-Jordan James dished it out to Mathias who knocked down the three-pointer. He was fouled on the play and converted the four-point play with a made free throw. Indiana had a 123-103 lead.

The Mad Ants completed the neutral site victory with a final score of 127-115. This was the most points scored by Indiana this season.

Notes

Final Score: 127-115

With the win, the Mad Ants improve to 6-9 overall on the season

Highest scoring game of the season for Indiana

Mad Ants led 67-58 at halftime

Indiana shot 68% from the field in 1^st half (25-37 FG)

Newton: 14 1^st half points on 5-5 FG (4-4 3 PT)

Tristen Newton (2-Way): 19 pts, 7 reb, 9 ast

Enrique Freeman (2-Way): 16 pts, 3 reb, ast

Quenton Jackson (2-Way): 17 pts, 3 red, 3 ast

Jahlil Okafor: 21 pts, 9 reb, 4 ast

Dakota Mathias: 27 pts (6-9 3 PT), 4 reb, 8 ast

Mad Ants leading scorer: Dakota Mathias (27)

Mad Ants leading rebounder: Jahlil Okafor (9)

Mad Ants leader in assists: Tristen Newton (9)

The Mad Ants second and final game of the 2024 Winter Showcase will be on Sunday, December 22nd. Indiana will take on the Texas Legends (Dallas Mavericks affiliate) at 10:30 a.m. The game can be seen on NBA TV. The next home game for the Mad Ants comes on Friday, December 27^th when the Salt Lake City Stars (Utah Jazz affiliate) come to town.

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The Indiana Mad Ants are the G League affiliate of the Indiana Pacers. The franchise is currently playing in its 18^th season dating back to 2007-2008. The Mad Ants have been a part of Pacers Sports and Entertainment since 2015. The club plays their home games at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse located at 125 South Pennsylvania Street in downtown Indianapolis. Purchase Mad Ants tickets here or visit the Gainbridge Fieldhouse Box Office.