Box Score

FARGO, N.D. -- While the temperature hovered at -18 outside the Bison Sports Arena, the IUPUI women's basketball did not shoot much better, hitting just 25 percent of their field-goal attempts en route to a 61-41 loss to North Dakota Monday evening. 

IUPUI (7-9, 2-3 Summit) opened the game hitting just one of their first 13 shots from the field, getting a jumper from Janna Eichelberger 2:42 into the contest.  It would be nearly 10 minutes before another Jaguar found the bottom of the net, by which time North Dakota State (7-7, 5-1 Summit) led, 20-5.

"We just struggled in nearly every facet of the game tonight," head coach Shann Hart said.  "Offensively, we didn't execute our sets well - we struggled to set picks and to make hard cuts - and when you fail to do that, it's tough to win games."

In the first half, the Jaguars finished 5-for-27 from the field, failing to hit any baskets outside the paint.  From three-point range, IUPUI was 0-for-5, missing their last 10 tries from downtown dating back to the loss at South Dakota State.

Down 35-14 at halftime, the Jaguars attempted to rally, holding the Bison to just 6-for-22 shooting in the final 20 minutes of play, coming within 11 of North Dakota State with 9:10 left on the clock.  Using a stifling perimeter defense, IUPUI forced six turnovers in the first 8:46 of the second half, enabling them to whittle down their deficit.

Trailing, 38-19, with 17:43 to play, the Jags went on an 11-3 run, beginning with a jumper from the left block by Julia Whitted.  Laura Blaydes followed with a three from the right wing, snapping a skid of 10 straight misses from three-point range in the Dakotas, to make it 38-24, and cause some stirring among the 742 in the Bison Sports Arena.

Another defensive stand led to a Whitted jumper off a feed from Brykeesha Tate, cutting the margin to 12; after a Whitney Trecker three-point play put the NDSU lead back to 15, Farren Stackhouse converted a layup after some crafty ball movement in the paint.

Two Whitted free throws brought the game to its closest point since early in the first half, but off an inbounds, the Bison used a cross-court lob to get to the free-throw line and stem IUPUI's momentum.

IUPUI would hit just three field goals over the last 7:00 of the game, as North Dakota State closed on a 20-11 run to end the game.

Once again, the absence of Jernisha Cann loomed large for IUPUI, as the Jaguars were outrebounded, 45-34, and outscored in the paint, 36-18.  However, the fact that the Bison dressed just eight players for the game tonight due to injury left little consolation for the Jags.

For the Jaguars, Whitted posted her third straight double-double, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead all players.  The Staunton, Ind.-native also had 5 blocks.

IUPUI will back in action on Saturday, Jan. 17, when they open a doubleheader at 4:30 p.m. ET versus Centenary.  Tickets for the doubleheader are discounted $3 ($7 adult/$4 youth), and fans can catch the game on IUPUI Live! as well.