INDIANAPOLIS  – The Jags used a balanced attack overwhelming an undermanned North Dakota State squad to a 67-44 victory Saturday night, (Jan 16). Eleven of the 12 players that entered the game for IUPUI scored. 

"A lot of balance across the floor. It was good to see," said Head Coach Austin Parkinson. "Nicole [Rogers] came in and knocked shots down and Ja'Nae Williams came in a played really well. It was a whole team effort."
 
After a career high 26 points in her last game, junior Mikale Rogers led the Jags (13-5, 4-1 Summit) with 19 points and eight rebounds. Senior Nicole Rogers finished with nine points on 3-3 shooting from beyond the arc. Fellow senior Shaquira Scott and sophomore Jenna Gunn finished with eight points apiece. As a team the Jags shot 45 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point territory.

"[Mikale] is not only scoring but she is being patient," said Parkinson. "She made some great plays for some assists and when she is patient she is a really good player."
 
The Bison (5-14, 0-5 Summit) only had seven players dress for the game and the lack of depth showed as the game wore on. North Dakota State was led by sophomore Taylor Thunstedt who finished with 14 points but leading scorer Marena Whittle (17.9 ppg) was held to just four points on 2-of-11 shooting. The Bison committed 17 turnovers and only finished with shooting 32 percent from the field.

"I thought we did a really good job on Whittle and did okay on Thunstedt in the first half," said Parkinson. "As a whole I thought the girls were in the passing lanes, and for us its about getting stops and getting out in transition."
 
The Jags got off to a strong start using a 14-4 run to end the first quarter that was capped by back-to-back threes by Nicole Rogers. The second quarter was more of the same as IUPUI increased their lead to 17 after Mikale Rogers made two straight buckets and took a 35-18 halftime lead.
 
After holding the Bison to 18 points in the first half, the Jags allowed 20 in quarter three, but the defense came back to life in the fourth quarter only giving up six points in the final frame and extending the lead to 27 with 5:41 left in the game. 

IUPUI outscored the Bison 36-20 in the paint, thanks largely to Mikale Rogers' 9-of-13 effort. Caitlyn Tolen grabbed seven rebounds off the bench and Danielle Lawrence delivered five assists.

The Jags will head to South Dakota for their next two games as they take on South Dakota State on Jan. 21, and South Dakota on Jan. 23. The game against the Jackrabbits is scheduled to tip at 8:00 p.m. and will be heard on IUPUIJags.com as Scott Agness (pxp) is on the call.