Box Score

ROCHESTER, Mich. – The IUPUI women’s basketball team was looking to open Summit League play with a pair of road wins following its five-point win over Fort Wayne on Friday, but Oakland shot 60.5 percent from the field (26-of-43) leading the Golden Grizzlies past the Jaguars, 68-59, Sunday afternoon at the O’Rena.

The loss dropped the Jags to 7-7 overall and 1-1 in the Summit League, while Oakland improved to 7-7 overall and 1-1 in the conference.

Kerah Nelson made her return to the floor following a four-game absence and scored a team-high tying 10 points along with fellow forward Akilah Sims, but Elena Popkey scored 20 points for the Golden Grizzlies and as a team, Oakland shot 75.0 percent (15-of-20) from the floor in the second half to earn the victory.

“That’s back to back games we haven’t played good defense in the half court,” said head coach Austin Parkinson. You have to give them credit for executing and hitting shots, but that was probably the worst defensive effort we have had since I’ve been head coach.

“Any time you are able to split a road trip in this conference, you will take it, but we are just disappointed in how our trip ended. We have to get back to the fundamentals this week in practice and if we are able to do that, we should be able to get back on track.”  

IUPUI hit just four of its first 11 shots from the field, but six offensive rebounds led to six second chance points in the opening four minutes allowing the Jags to jump out to a 9-2 lead.

Popkey then started to heat up for Oakland leading the Grizzlies on a 19-5 response to take a seven-point lead, 21-14, with 10:14 to play.

Needing a lift off the bench, IUPUI received that boost from Nelson. The senior forward came in with 10:10 on the clock and scored seven points in the following three minutes to help the Jags close within two, 25-23.

Facing a three-point deficit with less than a minute to play, IUPUI was able to make a push going into the half. Dee-Dee Bellamy got the spurt started converting an old-fashioned three-point play off a fast break opportunity with 24 seconds to go, before DeAirra Goss buried a jumper from the right elbow just prior to the end of the first half to give the Jaguars a 33-31 lead going into the intermission.

Out of the half both teams executed their offenses well with the Jags hitting three of their first five shots, while Oakland hit its first five attempts to take a 42-39 lead.

A Nelson bucket at 13:45 tied the score at 44-44, but over the next 8:23 the Golden Grizzlies outscored the Jags 18-7 to open up a 62-51 advantage with 5:22 to play.

Down the stretch, IUPUI couldn’t string together a rally as its deficit never dipped below 10, until a Jordan Barton three with 30 seconds to go brought IUPUI within nine, 68-59. However, it was too late and Oakland went on to pick up the 68-59 victory.

The Jaguars return to the floor on Saturday, Jan. 5, when they host Western Illinois in their Summit League home opener at The Jungle. Saturday’s tip is set for 3 p.m. ET.