TULSA, Okla. – A poor shooting first half put the IUPUI women's basketball team in a double-digit deficit with 20 minutes to play and despite closing within three with 15 minutes to play, the Jags couldn't get over the hump as they dropped an 84-72 decision at Oral Roberts Thursday evening at the Mabee Center.
The loss dipped IUPUI to 7-10 on the season and 2-2 in Summit League play, while Oral Roberts improved to 8-10 overall and 2-3 in the conference.
The final score wasn't necessarily indicative of how close the game was down the stretch as the Jags closed within five points with two minutes to go after trailing by as many as 14 points in the first half. However, ORU scored on back-to-back possessions to essentially put the game away.
"It's hard to win road games consistently getting off to poor starts and then giving up 58 percent [shooting] on defense," head coach
Austin Parkinson said. "I did like how we battled back in the second half, but we weren't able to make enough plays."
Jenna Gunn went 8-of-13 from the floor and scored a career-high 19 points to pace the IUPUI offense, while
Martha Burse also registered a career high with 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Joining those two in double figures were
Mikale Rogers and
Shaquira Scott, who added 13 points apiece.
"I thought Jenna Gunn had her best game of the year, and Martha Burse sparked us with some nice energy as well."
Vicki McIntyre led ORU as she has done all season with 21 points and 22 rebounds.
Entering the game, the Jags had struggled with turnovers and assists on the road averaging 19 miscues per game while dishing out just seven assists per game. IUPUI reversed that trend with 12 assists and 12 turnovers, but ORU outscored the Jags by 10 at the charity stripe proving to be the difference.
Despite some shooting woes in the opening minutes, four points each from Gunn and
Nevena Markovic coupled with a
Kelsi Byrd three kept the Jaguars within three, 14-11, a little more than seven minutes in.
Over the next six and a half minutes, IUPUI managed to hit just one of its next 10 shots from the field while yielding 13 points on the defensive end to aid an ORU run that opened its lead to double digits at 27-13.
To close the half, Markovic and Scott were able to get some looks to go down, but the Jaguars just could not make a dent into the Golden Eagles lead as a Dorottya Balla lay-up with 13 seconds to go put them in front 41-28 at the midway point.
The defensive pressure went up a notch in the first six minutes of the second half helping the Jags go on a 15-5 run to close within three, 46-43. Gunn, Burse and Scott ignited the run scoring four points each, and half of those points came in transition following turnovers.
Just as IUPUI inched within one possession, the Golden Eagles mounted a 10-2 response of their own to slide their cushion back to double figures, 56-45, with 10 minutes to play.
With 5:10 remaining, Gunn got another bucket to go to bring IUPUI within five, 69-64, and following an ORU turnover the Jaguars had a chance to get within one possession. Unfortunately, a missed jumper and a turnover in back-to-back possessions for the Jags were offset by two lay-ups for the Golden Eagles pushing their lead to nine, 73-64.
Buckets from Scott in Burse in a matter of 22 seconds again brought IUPUI within five, 74-69, with two minutes to go, but a Balla three seconds later made it a three-possession game, which was something the Jags just couldn't overcome.
Down the stretch, ORU hit its free throws and eventually claimed an 84-72 win.
Up next for the Jaguars is a trip to Omaha, Neb., on Sat., Jan. 17, where they will take on the Omaha Mavericks. Tip is set for 3 p.m. ET.
