SHREVEPORT, La. – Kerah Nelson matched a career-high with 13 made field goals and scored 28 points, but Centenary hit 28-of-35 free throws compared to 5-of-6 for the IUPUI women’s basketball team leading the Ladies past the Jaguars, 75-64, Saturday afternoon at the Gold Dome.

Nelson scored 18 of her 28 points in the second half helping trim what was a 13-point second-half deficit down to five points with 1:37 to play, but Centenary hit 9-of-10 free throws down the stretch to preserve their first win of the season.

“I’m proud of Kerah as she battled all the way, never gave up, and gave the kind of effort you need to put yourself in position to win on the road,” said head coach Austin Parkinson. “As we build for the future, it’s about getting stops and not turning the ball over. At times we’ve been able to do one, but not both, which is why we haven’t been able to win on the road this year. It’s just tough to win games on the road when they shoot 35 free throws compared to your six.”

Nelson also added 10 rebounds, her second double-double of the season, and was joined in double-figures by Gretchen Gaskin, who scored 15 points.

Two 3-pointers in the opening minute helped IUPUI sprint out to an 8-2 lead 2:30 in, but behind Anne Farrell and Ashley Jackson, the Ladies were able to cut their deficit to three points, 20-17, with just under seven minutes to play in the first half.

A quick 6-0 response by the Jags, featuring two buckets from Clara Mitchell and a fastbreak pull-up jumper from Jasmine Horne extended the Jaguars lead to nine, 26-17, its largest of the game.

However, a 9-0 surge over the final 2:36 from Centenary tied the score at 26 entering the half.

Out of the intermission, IUPUI struggled from the floor hitting only two of its first 10 shots, while committing five turnovers over the opening 7:10. During that span, Centenary used a combined 10 points from Farrell and Megan Daniel during a 14-2 run to capture a 40-30 lead with 12:50 to play.

The Ladies lead grew to 13 points, 53-40, with just under eight minutes to go, before IUPUI began its final surge. Nelson and Gaskin scored 14 of the next 19 IUPUI points as it closed within five points, 64-59, with 1:37 to play.

Following Nelson’s lay-up that brought the Jags within five points, the Jaguars immediately took a charge on Ne-Ne Cook, giving the Jags an opportunity to make the game a one-possession contest.

However, a five-second call on the inbounds play gave the ball back to Centenary and on the other end a pair of free throws by Jackson pushed the advantage back to seven points. From that point, IUPUI could not get any closer and the Ladies went on to defeat the Jaguars, 75-64.