Box Score | Box Score (html) | Box Score (pdf) | Austin Parkinson Postgame Interview

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The IUPUI women's basketball team prides itself on its defense, and two big plays on the defense end of the floor in the final 30 seconds led IUPUI to a 68-64 come-from-behind victory at Indiana State Monday evening at the Hulman Center.

With the game tied and 30 seconds on the clock, IUPUI had a chance to go up a basket, but Akilah Sims had a tough lay-up roll off the rim and Indiana State corralled the rebound. The Sycamores appeared to be in prime position to hold the ball for one final shot, but Dee-Dee Bellamy had other thoughts. Bellamy stole the ball away from Anna Munn prior to reaching the halfcourt line, and proceeded to drive to the rim drawing a foul from Munn. After Bellamy, a career 49-percent free throw shooter, stepped up and buried both free throws, IUPUI made two stops in the final seconds to secure its first road victory in the all-time series against the Sycamores.

"That was two quality teams that both went to postseason play last year and we knew it was going to be physical," head coach Austin Parkinson said. "We got to the last media timeout, and we were down three. We talked about that last year we were down at the same time and we were able to gut it out. I'm really proud of our seniors, especially Katie [Comello] and Dee-Dee [Bellamy], who really led us down the stretch and that's a really good win for our program."

Bellamy and Comello were two of IUPUI's four players that reached double figures in scoring, but it was Nevena Markovic that led the Jags with 14 points and 10 boards - her first double-double of the season. Bellamy, Katie Comello and Akilah Sims all scored 12 points to join Markovic in double figures, with Sims scoring 10 of those 12 in the second half.

It was hard for both teams to truly get in an offensive flow as 55 fouls were called and five players fouled out. 80 total free throws were attempted with both teams hitting 60-percent from the charity stripe, but the Sycamores outscored IUPUI from the line, 27-21. However, the Jaguars managed to get up 10 more shots than ISU resulting in five more field goals, proving to be the difference.

The Sycamores climbed out to a 6-1 lead out of the gates, but a 6-0 run in less than a minute thanks in part two fastbreak lay-ups off two steals from Bellamy put IUPUI in front, 7-6, by the first media timeout.

Out of the media timeout, buckets in the paint from Sims and Markovic capped off a 10-0 run and put the Jags in front, 11-6, with 12:59 to play.

Four straight free throws from Markovic upped the Jags lead to eight, 22-14, with 7:56 on the clock, but most of the scoring for the remainder of the half would come at the free throw line due to foul trouble on both sides.

With the Jags lead at four, 26-22, five points from Comello during a 7-0 spurt put IUPUI in front by 11, 33-22, with 2:43 on the clock. ISU responded with an 8-0 run of its own to close out the half to climb within three at 33-30.

Out of the half, IUPUI turned the ball over a handful of times and Indiana State got the ball inside for eight quick points as it took a 38-36 advantage with 17:11 to go - its first lead since the 16:41 mark of the first half.

The Sycamores lead reached as many as five on multiple occasions, but back-to-back three's by Nicole Rogers and Bellamy put IUPUI back in front, 47-46, at the midway point of the second half. The spurts continued as ISU took a 55-49 lead with 7:52 to go, but a driving bucket by Sims, a floater by Comello and a runner from Bellamy off the glass in consecutive possessions tied things back up at 55 with 6:21 to go.

Leads exchanged hands four times over the next two minutes until a Natasha Zurek floater put Indiana State in front, 60-57, forcing Parkinson to burn a timeout with 3:49 to play. The Jags tied things up at 60-60, before two Comello free throws with 1:51 remaining put the Jaguars on top, 64-63.

The Sycamores split a pair at the line with 49 seconds to go, tying the score at 64, but the Jags were without Goss, Markovic and Kelsi Byrd - all of which had fouled out. That's when Bellamy made the play of the game by pickpocketing Munn and switching the momentum.

After Bellamy made both free throws, the Jags forced a jump ball on the defensive end with 4.3 seconds to play, but Indiana State had the possession arrow and called its last timeout to draw up one last play. IUPUI stopped the Sycamores with 0.9 seconds left and made 2-of-4 free throws in the final second to close out the 68-64 victory.

After 17 days of being on the road, the Jaguars return home on Sunday, Dec. 15, to host the Indiana Hoosiers at 2 p.m. The Hoosiers will be the second Big Ten team to play in The Jungle this season as Purdue came to Indianapolis on Nov. 15. For Sunday's game, #IMAJAGUAR rally towels will be passed out to fans while supplies last.