MACOMB, Ill. – For the first time in more than two seasons, the IUPUI women’s basketball team corralled more than 50 rebounds providing the team extra possessions and a chance to win the game in the final minute. However, Western Illinois hit some late free throws in an offensive struggle to defeat the Jaguars, 48-43, Saturday afternoon at Waste Management Court at Western Hall.

Kerah Nelson entered the game as IUPUI’s leading scorer but was held scoreless, but the Jaguars bench picked up the scoring load led by Janna Eichelberger and Shea Collins, who scored 15 points and nine points, respectively.

“We really battled out there tonight and in particular I was really proud of Janna and Shea,” head coach Austin Parkinson said. “Janna fought to get rebounds and Shea had her best rebounding game.

However, offensively, we have to get more production and need more movement if we are going to win these close games.”

In addition to her 15 points, Eichelberger added 12 rebounds for her third double-double of the season and led to Jags to a 55-37 edge on the glass, marking the first time since Nov. 25, 2008, that IUPUI grabbed 50-plus rebounds in a game.

“It was a grind-it-out type of game and it came down to the end,” Parkinson added. “We met our defensive goals and did some of the things we wanted to do. We beat them in almost every stat, but they got to the free throw line more than we did, which proved to be the difference.”

The first half was an offensive struggle with both teams combining to shoot 24.5 percent from the field.

IUPUI fell behind 9-2 over the first eight minutes hitting just 1-of-10 shots from the floor while committing seven turnovers.

The Jags bench play came into the game and got the offensive going as Gretchen Gaskin facilitated some offense finding Collins for a jumper and Eichelberger for a lay-up, which started a 10-0 run from the 11:58 mark to the 7:51 mark.

Just as the offense started to hit its stride, IUPUI held the Leathernecks scoreless for a 7:56 stretch to take a 12-9 lead, but a Sadie Webb old-fashioned 3-point play with 6:14 to play knotted the score at 12.

Over the final six minutes, the Jags used three free throws, a jumper from Kayla Cripe, and a trey from Collins to take a 20-18 lead into the half.

Out of the half, the Jaguars kept their defensive intensity at a high level and did a good job of limiting the Leathernecks to one shot on every possession. IUPUI held WIU scoreless by the first media timeout and used an easy basket by Clara Mitchell and a runner from Jasmine Horne to up its lead to six points, 24-18, with 15:53 on the clock.

The Leathernecks responded with a 9-2 run to take a 27-26 lead with 12:20 to play, but three ties ensued, with the last at 30-30.

Just as IUPUI knotted the score, a 9-0 run by Western Illinois from the 10:48 to the 7:34 mark opened a nine-point Leatherneck lead, 39-30.

A 9-2 response from the Jaguars, featuring five points from Eichelberger, brought IUPUI within two points, 41-39, by the final media timeout.

Western Illinois connected on three free throws over the next three minutes to move its lead to five points, 44-39, but a 3-pointer by Dawn Luster from the top of the key with 44 seconds left brought IUPUI within one possession, 44-42.

After both teams missed a pair of free throws,Nelson had an open look form three to tie the game, but it rattled in and out and Western Illinois was able to hit free throws on the other end to hold on to a 48-43 victory.

At the end of the day, the Leathernecks connected on 19-of-28 attempts from the charity stripe compared to 9-of-18 free throw tries for the Jaguars.

The loss dropped IUPUI to 3-17 overall and 1-9 in league play, while WIU improved to 7-13 overall and evened their Summit League record at 5-5.