Box Score Box Score (.pdf) | Box Score | Highlights

INDIANAPOLIS – Trailing by three points at the half and as many as eight early in the second half, the IUPUI women’s basketball team pulled together and held Southern Utah without a field goal for nearly 15 minutes while going on a 20-2 run as it rallied for a 56-49 win over the Thunderbirds Monday evening at The Jungle.

The Jaguars, who came into the game yielding a conference-best 56.5 points per game, held SUU to just 18 second-half points and picked up its second straight league victory for the first time since February of the 2008-09 campaign.

“It was a gutsy performance by our ladies. We got down early and for whatever reason I’m not sure we understood how to handle success after beating Oral Roberts,” said head coach Austin Parkinson. “We regrouped at halftime and came out with a different intensity on defense in the second half and we were able to make enough plays to win the game.”

For IUPUI (8-11; 3-4 Summit), Kerah Nelson and Nevena Markovic stepped up their games in the second half combining for 20 of the team’s 28 points carrying the offensive load en route to the seven-point victory.

“Both played really well and I thought Nev had some big-time, tough rebounds that maybe we haven’t quite seen from her – not that you would see numbers wise but the way she went in there and got them,” Parkinson added. “And Kerah went to the offensive glass and kept some possessions alive and really made some tough shots down the stretch that allowed us to keep that lead.”

Carli Moreland controlled the first 13 minutes of the game demanding the ball in the paint and scoring on almost every touch. With the Thunderbirds holding on to a three-point lead, 7-4, Moreland scored 13 straight points for Southern Utah from the 14:16 mark to the 7:17 mark keeping it in front, 20-16.

During that stretch, Katie Comello and Markovic each buried a three to help the Jags remain within striking distance, before Markovic’s second triple and a Comello jumper from the right elbow gave IUPUI its first lead of the game, 21-20, with 5:44 to play.

That lead wouldn’t last long as Southern Utah responded with three consecutive long balls during an 11-2 run that catapulted it back on top by eight points, 31-23.

In the final 1:38, the Jags hit 1-of-2 free throws on three occasions and cashed in on a Clara Mitchell jumper as time expired trimming IUPUI’s deficit to three points, 31-28, entering halftime.

The Jags were outrebounded 22-12 at the break and shot just 30.0 percent (3-of-10) from three compared to 66.7 (4-of-6) shooting from deep by the Thunderbirds.

Southern Utah hit its first three shots out of the break to take a 38-30 lead, before IUPUI turned up its defensive intensity.

After a Hailey Mandelko lay-up made the score 38-30, the Jaguars held the Thunderbirds without a field goal for the next 14:48 thanks in part to their full-court pressure defense.

“Well, I think we are one of the better defensive teams in the league and for whatever reason in the first half we forced a lot of turnovers but gave up a high percentage of shots,” Parkinson said. “In the second half, we got a little bit more pressure on the ball and forced them into some tough plays. We forced 31 turnovers and that was probably the difference in the game.”

During that time frame, Nelson and Markovic combined to score 13 of IUPUI’s 20 points during a 20-3 run that turned the tides and placed IUPUI on top, 50-41.

Outside of Markovic’s and Nelson’s scoring, Dawn Luster hit a huge triple with 9:49 to play to give IUPUI its first lead of the second half, 42-40, while Dee-Dee Bellamy hit the floor for a loose ball, found Luster who threw the ball ahead to Emily Phillips for a fast break bucket to cap the rally energizing the crowd and the team.

Consecutive Kerah Nelson baskets pushed the Jaguars to a 54-43 lead with 2:05 to play, before a 6-0 run brought SUU within two possessions, 54-49, with 13 seconds to play. However, Phillips stepped to the line and buried a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left to close out the 56-49 victory.

Nelson led the Jags with 15 points, while Markovic and Comello added 14 points and 10 points, respectively.

After a sluggish first 20 minutes, the Jags shot 47.8 percent (11-of-23) in the second half compared to 28.6 percent (6-of-21) shooting for the visitors.

The Jags forced 31 Southern Utah turnovers and scored 29 points off those turnovers. The 31 turnovers are the most turnovers forced by IUPUI since forcing Southern Illinois into 31 turnovers on Dec. 10, 2010.

Moreland paced the Thunderbirds with 22 points and 12 rebounds.

IUPUI will not return home until February as it kicks off a three-game conference road trip on Saturday, Jan. 21, when it heads to Kansas City, Mo., to take on UMKC. Tip is set for 5 p.m. ET and Scott McCauley will have the call on IUPUIJags.com.