Box Score

MACOMB, Ill. -- Needing a win to clinch The Summit League's number 4 seed, the IUPUI women's basketball team picked up their first win in Macomb in over 10 years, defeating Western Illinois, 59-43, Saturday evening at Waste Management Court at Western Hall.

IUPUI (15-14, 10-8 Summit) wrapped up the conference regular season with a 10-8 record, their fourth consecutive season at .500 or better in Summit League play.  The mark is the best in IUPUI's Division I history.  Julia Whitted led the Jaguars with 16 points to go along with nine rebounds.

The Jaguars had not won on Waste Management Court at Western Hall since a 73-71 win versus the Westerwinds on Feb. 13, 1999.

IUPUI, who held Western Illlinois (9-20, 7-11) to 38 points in their previous meeting, limited the Westerwinds to 32.1-percent shooting for the game.  IUPUI held WIU's leading scorer, Amanda Walker, to five points on her senior day, six below her season average.

After a back-and-forth 10 opening minutes, IUPUI built a nine-point halftime lead, beginning with a three-pointer from Kiara Butler.  A Jernisha Cann jumper made it 19-13 with 6:15 left in the first half, and a Butler jumper pushed the Jaguar lead to eight with just under six minutes remaining in the opening stanza.

An Elizabeth Mercer jumper helped the Jaguars build an 14-point lead with 2:50 to play in the half, but the Westerwinds closed to first half on a 7-2 run to come within nine at intermission.

Leading by nine at halftime, the Jaguars refused to let Western Illinois come back, letting the Westerwinds close within a single possession just twice in the second half.

Defensively, IUPUI continued to clamp down on WIU, limiting the Westerwinds to 9-for-26 shooting in the second half.  After an Amanda Walker three-pointer cut the Jags' lead to 39-37, IUPUI answered with a 16-2 run, opening a 53-41 lead with 4:18 to play.

Western Illinois was not able to come within 12 points the rest of the way.

Nicole James was the only other Jaguars in double figures, finishing with 10 points.  James added a career-high 8 assists, as IUPUI turned in assists on 21 of their 23 field goals.

With the win, IUPUI assured themselves of the No. 4 seed in The Summit League Tournament, with their opponent to be determined.