RICHMOND, Ind. - It was worth the wait for the Red Wolves.

The Indiana University East men's basketball team defeated Berea College 91-87 on Feb. 1 in a Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest in the Richmond High School Tiernan Center.

The game was originally scheduled for Jan. 30, but snowy and icy conditions in Kentucky forced the postponement.

"(The wait) actually gave us a little more fire," said senior guard Bijon Jones (Jackson, Tenn./Southeast Missouri State University).

"We were ready to play (Jan. 30) and the cancellation made the anticipation grow and grow, especially since we had a sour taste in our mouth from our last game (a loss Jan. 26 at Cincinnati Christian University)."

The Red Wolves never tasted a deficit in this one.

IU East (12-9, 4-3) led by as much as 12 in the first half before settling for a 39-32 advantage at the break.

The lead would reach 14 with 4:30 remaining after a 3-pointer by junior guard Tyler Rigby (Bryant, Ind./Jay County High School).

The Mountaineers (14-9, 3-4) would make a run, but the Red Wolves would lead by at least four the rest of the way.

IU East got contributions from all over the roster.

Rigby finished with 26 points, his 11th consecutive game with at least 20 points.

Jones had 16 points and eight assists.

Junior guard Brent Burris (Indianapolis, Ind.) had 12 points and sophomore guard David Sanders (Indianapolis, Ind./Beech Grove High School) finished with 11.

Senior forward Jacobe Edmondson (Indianapolis, Ind./Ancilla College) pulled down a career high 13 rebounds. And sophomore guard Steve Shepherd (Indianapolis, Ind./Arlington High School) scored eight points in 19 minutes.

"Jacobe stepped up huge with his rebounding," said IU East coach Mark Hester. "And Steve gave us some big minutes."

Berea's Mikah Turner, the leading scorer in the KIAC, matched his average with 26 points. Rudy Evans led the Mountaineers with 29 points.

Hester said the key stat was rebounding.

IU East outrebounded Berea 46-45 and had a 19-10 advantage in second-chance points.

"Any time you outrebound Berea, you've done a good job," Hester said.

"Before the game we said if we rebound, we win, if we guard them, we win, if we execute the game plan we win, and if we take care of the ball, we win. For the most part we did our job well."

IU East plays at KIAC opponent Asbury College on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m.