INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI women's basketball team won their fourth straight game on Saturday (Nov. 28) defeating IU-Southeast 99-50 in The Jungle to improve to 4-1 on the season. The 4-1 start is tied for the best start in school history as the Jags have went 4-1 through five games just four other times. It's the second 4-1 start for the Jags in the Austin Parkinson era.

IUPUI was led by senior Akilah Sims with 20 points, seven rebounds and a pair of assists, including 15 of her points in the first half. Junior Mikale Rogers was a force inside with 13 points and 11 rebounds to control the glass, including four boards on the offensive end. Junior Kelsi Byrd played an efficient game with nine points on 67 percent shooting and a pair of highlight-reel assists. Backup point guard Martha Burse was impressive as well as she poured in a well-rounded stat line with nine points, three rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal. 

The Jags took an early lead as a Byrd jumper, a steal and score from freshman Sydney Hall and a Sims-to-Rogers combo pushed IUPUI up 12-2 four minutes into the game. They never looked back. Rogers and Sims dominated the first quarter extending the Jags' lead to 28-9 by the end of the first stanza. 

IU-Southeast stepped their game up a bit in the second period but the Jags still outscored the Grenadiers 22-14 in the period as they headed to halftime with a 50-23 edge. Sophomore Martha Burse stepped in and added seven first half points with a few assists off the bench. The Jags had nine players score in the first half while they held IU-Southeast to just a 29 percent shooting clip. 

The Jags cruised through the third without much trouble. Sims scored her five second half points in the opening minutes while Rogers padded her stats before the two squad leaders took a seat for the remainder of the game. Byrd and Burse took over through the end of the third, tacking on some quality assists.  

The fourth quarter was an opportunity for some extra minutes for the end of Coach Parkinson's bench as the Jags had closed things out early. Senior Nicole Rogers and junior Caitlin Tolen came in and continued the IUPUI onslaught, pouring in 14 fourth quarter points between the pair on four triples and a field goal en route to the Jags' 99-50 win.

The Jags return to action for their fourth straight home game at The Jungle on Tuesday (Dec. 1) for a 7 p.m. contest with Indiana State.