Box Score Box Score (.pdf) | Box Score | Austin Parkinson Postgame

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Kerah Nelson led all players with 22 points and Emily Phillips chipped in 11, but a season-high 26 turnovers proved costly as the Jaguars fell to in-state and Summit League rival IPFW, 59-50, Monday night at the Hilliard Gates Sports Center on the IPFW campus.

Nelson carried IUPUI offensively hitting 8-of-13 attempts from the floor and 7-of-8 from the free throw line, but those 26 turnovers led to 23 points off turnovers for IPFW proving to be the difference.

“Kerah bounced back like a good leader and a good player should, but you can’t win on the road turning the ball over that much,” said head coach Austin Parkinson. “We have to learn how to adjust and how to be better and win some road games.”

After failing to score in double figures for the first 15 games, Phillips reached double figures for the second straight game with 11 points, while adding three assists and five steals, and again was the catalyst for the Jaguars.

“Emily in the last two games has shown tremendous leadership and has played like the player I thought she’d play like,” Parkinson added. “So if we can continue to get that, I think our basketball team will take off.”

Nearly two minutes in, Nelson made a tough bucket in the lane to give IUPUI a 2-0 lead, but miscues became the story of the rest of the half.

Despite the sloppy play, a 9-0 Mastodons run put IPFW in front, 9-2, but their lead failed to grow to more than eight points due to Nelson and Phillips.

With its deficit at eight points, 14-6, with 9:36 to play in the half, Nelson scored back-to-back buckets before Phillips cashed in a floater in the lane making the score 17-12 with 3:39 on the clock.

A Janna Eichelberger lay-up cut the deficit to three points, 17-14, a possession later, but an Erin Murphy triple with just over three minutes to play helped IPFW take a 22-17 lead into the half.

Both teams combined to commit 26 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes and totaled six just six assists.

Out of the break, Nelson got to work immediately scoring six of IUPUI’s first eight points to knot the score at 25 just 2:36 into the half.

IUPUI had opportunities to stay even or take a lead against the Mastodons but five consecutive missed free throws coupled with some timely IPFW jumpers helped the Mastodons maintain a 36-31 lead with 8:43 to go.

Over the next five minutes, IPFW connected on three wide open treys extending their lead back to eight, 45-37, before Comello buried IUPUI’s first and only triple of the game with 4:35 to play to keep it a two-possession game.

Unfortunately for the Jags, missed opportunities in transition and a 6-0 run over the next 2:19 gave the Dons their first double-digit lead, 51-40.

“We have got to take advantage of easy plays,” Parkinson said. “There was a stretch where we had some 2-on-1’s - several fast break opportunities where we have numbers and we kick it out of bounds and lose the ball. So, if we are going to rebound and play great defense we have to take advantage of it.”

Down the stretch, Nelson did her best to keep the score close, but IPFW closed out the game at the free throw line hitting six straight the final 1:48 to cement a 59-50 victory.

IPFW struggled with turnovers as well committing 22, tying a season-high, but it hit five treys in the second half and outscored IUPUI 18-11 at the free throw line leading to the win.

The loss moved IUPUI’s road losing streak to 33 games and gave IPFW its fifth straight win in the series, marking the longest win streak in series history.

The Jags return home on Saturday, Jan. 14, to take on Summit League leader Oral Roberts. Tip is set for 4:30 p.m. and Scott McCauley will have the call on IUPUIJags.com.