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INDIANAPOLIS -- Looking to secure a top-four seed in the upcoming Summit League Tournament, the IUPUI women's basketball team dropped the ball - literally and figuratively - in a 61-56 loss to IPFW Monday night at The Jungle.  Jernisha Cann posted her third straight double-double, finishing with 18 points and 15 rebounds in the defeat.

IUPUI (14-14, 9-8 Summit) committed 16 turnovers in the loss, leading to 17 IPFW (7-20, 6-10 Summit) points.  At the free-throw line, the Jaguars were just 10-for-19, while the Mastodons went 12-for-15 from the charity stripe.

"We just didn't come out with the intensity needed to win games at this time of year," head coach Shann Hart said following the game.  "We let IPFW build confidence and momentum with some early threes, and when we tried to come back, our execution was poor."

The Jaguars never led in the game, and the closest they came to leading occurred in the first minute of play, when a Julia Whitted jumper made it 3-2, IPFW.  The Mastodons would extend their lead to nine just 4:26 into the contest, using three three-pointers to distance themselves from the Jags.

For most of the first half, IUPUI's deficit hovered between four and six points, until a 5-1 IPFW burst pushed their lead to 30-17 with 4:57 remaining in the half.  From there, the Jaguars seemed to respond, closing within eight points on a Cann tip-in just before the first-half horn went off.

Down 39-31 at the intermission, the Jaguars shook up their starting five to begin the half, with Whitted on the bench.  Noticeably more aggressive in the opening minutes, IUPUI pulled within a possession a Whitted jumper with 14:29 left in the game. 

However, a Jaguar turnover led to a Mastodon three at the other end, creating a six-point bulge.  Still, IUPUI kept fighting, as Whitted sliced the deficit to four with another layup; Brykeesha Tate, who broke the IUPUI school record for games played with her 119th, could only manage 1-of-2 free throws on IUPUI's next trip down court to make it a 47-44 contest.

After an Eva Ivanova jumper, Tate atoned for her free throw miss by knocking down a short jumper after a scramble under the basket, helping the Jags stay within a possession.  When Cann found Nicole James alone on an outlet pass, James was hammered from behind by IPFW's Chelsea Jackson; the intentional foul sent James, a 72.5-percent career free-throw shooter, to the line for two freebies.

Down three, James missed both free throws.  IPFW scored the game's next four points to rebuild a seven-point lead and recapture momentum.

The Jaguars spent the next seven minutes trying to whittle away at the Mastodon lead, finally cutting it to 59-56 with 28.6 seconds remaining.  However, IUPUI spent precious time attempting to foul, and Sarah Haluska knocked down both free throws with 13.2 second to play to create the final margin.

"We're just going to have to pick ourselves up off the mat," Hart said.  "From here on out, every game is a must-win, so we'll have to be in that frame of mind, starting Saturday."

IUPUI will look for their first win at Western Hall in over 10 years when they take on the Westerwinds Saturday afternoon.  In the most recent Summit League standings, IUPUI sits 1.5 games clear of UMKC and two games clear of Western Illinois with one game remaining.  A win on Saturday would clinch the No. 4 seed in The Summit League Tournament for the Jaguars.  Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. CT, and IUPUI fans can follow the game on IUPUI Live!