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SIOUX FALLS, SD. – In IUPUI's third consecutive trip to The Summit League Tournament semifinals, they came up short again. This time it was a 76-69 overtime loss to the sixth-seed Denver Pioneers Monday (Mar. 10) afternoon.
 
IUPUI became the favorite to win the tournament after South Dakota knocked off top-seeded South Dakota State earlier in the day, but the Jaguars inability to convert near the basket or draw fouls doomed them. They shot just 29 percent in the paint in the first half (6-21) and 36 percent in the paint for the game (16-45).
 
DeAirra Goss led all scorers with 20 points on the afternoon, but took 26 shots to get there and fouled out in overtime. Nevena Markovic posted her second double-double of the tournament with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Jordan Johnston led the Pioneers with 15 points off the bench and Paige Bradley wasn't far behind, scoring 14 points including 7-9 shooting from the line. Theresa Wirth and Kailey Edwards round out the double-figure scorers with 12 points a piece.
 
The Jaguars didn't start things off well in their semifinal matchup, going scoreless for the first five minutes. They answered Denver's 6-0 start with a 6-1 run to cut the lead to 7-6, but Denver kept their foot on the gas and scored 11 straight. Denver would eventually push the lead to 15 points with 5:20 left in the half, but a 6-2 spurt from the Jaguars had them down only nine at half.
 
IUPUI was fortunate to be down just nine. They shot just 26 percent from the floor and missed all four of their three-point attempts.
 
The Pioneers took control of the game once again in the second, building their lead back up to 53-39 with 9:51 to go in the game. That's when the Jaguars made their run.
 
Goss got into the paint for a short jumper to start things off. Denver's Alison Janecek fouled away from the ball at the same time, giving the ball back to the Jaguars. Dawn Luster took advantage finding Nicole Rogers on the right side for an open three to complete the five-point play. Goss converted an and-one opportunity following a Pioneer turnover and the lead was down to six.
 
Denver's Kailey Edwards ended the 8-0 IUPUI run with a pair of free throws, but IUPUI came right back with 3-pointers from Rogers and Katie Comello to cut the Denver lead to 55-53 with 6:34 left.
 
Down one with just under five minutes to go, the Jaguars took their first lead of the game off two Comello free throws. They would extend their lead to 62-57 before Denver could answer. In all, it was a 23-4 run and the Jaguars held the Pioneers without a field goal for 8:07.
 
Unfortunately that was about all IUPUI could muster. They'd make just one free throw the rest of the half. Tied at 63 with just 10 seconds to go in regulation, Goss had an opportunity to take the lead but jumper near the free-throw line was off.
 
"We tried to put Nicole in the corner. That way if they helped, there would be a kick-out," said head coach Austin Parkinson when asked about the final play. "But obviously, as the game goes, it was hard to tell if she was open or not. I want the ball to be in my best player's hands, and I'd rather go down with DeAirra than with anybody else. If she thought it was a good shot, then I think it was a good shot."
 
After a Denver rebound and missed half-court heave, the two teams headed to overtime.

The Jaguars briefly took the lead with 3:26 left in overtime after a pair of made free throws from Markovic, but Denver controlled the period the whole way. IUPUI had a chance to tie or take the lead with under a minute to go, but Markovic missed a 3-pointer and Denver took care of business at the line. Both teams made just two field goals in overtime, but the Pioneers made it to the line 12 times converting on nine of them.
 
The Jaguars had plenty of chances in this one. They outshot the Pioneers 76-55, but shot only 30 percent from the floor. IUPUI dominated in field goal attempts, but Denver dominated at the line. They made 32 free throws in 40 trips compared to just 19 of 25 for the Jaguars.
 
The loss was the IUPUI's third straight in The Summit League Tournament semifinals and puts their record at 22-9 on the season. The team could still be selected for a post-season tournament, but this was the final conference tournament game for seniors Dee-Dee Bellamy, Comello, Goss and Luster.
 
"We had one of the more disappointing losses for us as a program," said Parkinson. " I thought we had an opportunity to take the next step given how bad these kids wanted it. There were some times there in the second half where I thought we could maybe inch ahead, but their kids really, really fought. We've got to give them all the credit in the world."
 
IUPUI beat Denver in both regular-season contests this year, but Denver won when it counted and now they're the ones headed to the Summit League Tournament Finals.