INDIANAPOLIS - Shaquira Scott led five double-figure scorers with 23 points lifting the IUPUI women's basketball team to a 76-65 win over North Dakota State in Summit League action Thursday evening at The Jungle.
 
The 23 points for Scott were one shy of her career high, while her nine boards equaled a season-best. Akilah Sims and Mikale Rogers each added 14 points, Nevena Markovic chipped in 13 and Danielle Lawrence tacked on 10 points as the Jaguars improved to 13-13 overall and 8-5 in the Summit League.
 
Brooke LeMar, the league's second-leading scorer entering the game at 19.1 ppg, scored 16 points on 7-of-22 shooting for the Bison, who dropped their seventh game in a row as they dipped to 9-17 overall and 5-9 in league play.
 
The Jags pounded the ball inside early and often and that was the formula for success Thursday night. IUPUI scored 52 of its 76 points in the paint and outscored NDSU by 30 in the key.
 
Both Scott and Sims got off to good starts combining to score 19 of IUPUI's first 27 points as it took a 27-23 lead nearly 13 minutes in, but it was the Jaguars defense hat would lead them into the half with a double-digit lead.
 
Over the final 7:30 of the first half, the Jags relinquished just four points and on the offensive end it scored 10 of its final 15 points of the half in the paint propelling them into the break with a 42-27 lead.
 
Out of the half, the Jags lead fluctuated between 12 and 16 points over the first four minutes of the second half, but a quick six-point spurt featuring buckets from Rogers, Lawrence and Jenna Gunn slid the IUPUI cushion to 20 points, 54-34, with 13:40 remaining.
 
Just four minutes later the Bison were able to close within nine at 57-48, but an 11-3 response featuring five points from Markovic and four from Scott opened a 68-51 advantage with five and a half minutes to go.
 
From that point the outcome was never in doubt and the Jags finished off the 76-65 win.
 
Up next for the Jags is a home game against Oral Roberts on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 2 p.m. Saturday's game will be Senior Day for the Jags, and the game will also be televised on HTSN and ESPN3. Greg Rakestraw and Bob Lovell will have the call.