BROOKINGS, S.D. – The IUPUI women's basketball team (13-6, 4-2) gave everything they had to a tough South Dakota State team (15-4, 5-1) on the road Thursday night (Jan. 21), falling 68-66 in a double overtime thriller. IUPUI held leads in both overtimes but was haunted by a trio of missed shots on final possessions to end regulation and both extra periods.  

"I'm proud of the kids for fighting back and putting a nice second half together," Head Coach Austin Parkinson said. "We played with great effort on defense which kept us in the game."

Junior center Mikale Rogers recorded her third double-double of the season with 17 points (7-for-13) and 11 rebounds to go along with four blocks.  Freshman guard Sydney Hall kept the Jags in the game with multiple threes in clutch situations. The Fishers, Ind.-native led IUPUI with 18 points including four three-pointers on 4-for-10 shooting from deep.

"Mikale was tremendous again inside and Syd showed some real toughness playing in that environment," Parkinson added. 

Sophomore Danielle Lawrence lifted IUPUI through the fourth quarter with eight of her 12 points in the final period. Sophomore Jenna Gunn was scoreless through regulation and the first overtime but erupted for eight of IUPUI's 11 points in the second overtime to go along with eight rebounds. Senior Akilah Sims added five points and five rebounds in just 17 minutes of action of the bench. 

Hall started the game off with a three on the first possession for a 3-0 IUPUI lead. SDSU took control of the first half after that as the Jags trailed 10-12 after the first quarter in a defensive struggle. IUPUI suffered a scoring drought of nine missed field goals in the second quarter resulting in a 10-2 run from the Jacks. After trailing by double digits, Hall knocked down another trifecta to bookend the half and keep the Jags within seven, 21-28. 

IUPUI struck twice to open the second half as Rogers converted the first bucket and Hall knocked down a pair at the line to bring IUPUI within three, 25-28. Lawrence got into the paint for another quick two before a Rogers' jumper gave IUPUI their first lead (29-28) since the 3-0 start. The Jags continued the scoring run to a 32-28 gap and a 14-0 run dating back to the first half.

Rogers contributed seven of the Jags' first 11 second half points and grabbed her third double-double of the season before the five-minute mark of the third quarter. SDSU regained the lead and extended it to six (40-34) before an IUPUI 5-0 run to end the period.

Entering the fourth trailing 39-40, Lawrence netted five quick points to put the Jags back in front, 44-42. She went on to score eight of IUPUI's first 10 points in the quarter before things were knotted up at 49 apiece heading down the stretch. 

After the score reached 51-all at the 2:55 mark, neither team scored in the remainder of regulation. The Jags pulled down a rebound and called timeout with just 10 seconds left. A three-point attempt from Hall missed at the buzzer and the defensive chess match continued into overtime. 

In the extra period, the two-team drought continued through the first 2:25 until an IUPUI free throw from Shaquira Scott broke the silence, 52-51. A Kerri Young jumper from SDSU gave the Jacks the 53-52 edge before another perfectly-timed three from Hall gave IUPUI the 55-53 advantage. SDSU's Ellie Thompson tied it up at 55-55 on the next possession before another IUPUI three at the buzzer–this one from Nicole Rogers–was blocked and a second overtime was forced. 

A jumper from Gunn opened the second overtime but the Jacks quickly answered. Gunn scored again moments later following Hall's fourth three of the game to keep the Jags within one. After SDSU climbed back to a 65-62 lead, Gunn scored her third field goal of the second overtime before knocking in two free throws and giving IUPUI a 66-65 lead. All of Gunn's eight points came in the second overtime period but SDSU scrambled for a late lead and the 68-66 win.

IUPUI won the turnover battle (18-21) but the Jags were outshot (33 percent to 38 percent) and outrebounded (42-51) in the contest.

"I thought on offense we played really slow and didn't attack at all in transition," Parkinson said. "We have to be better at cutting hard and executing against quality defensive teams."

With the loss, SDSU remains in the top spot of the Summit League standings but the Jags gave the conference's top team everything they could handle. 

IUPUI entered Thursday on an impressive three-point shooting run (19 of their last 36) led by Hall (6-for-9) and Lawrence (6-for-12). The two continued the hot shooting and stretched their spree to a fourth game where they're both still shooting above 50 percent. Hall (3-for-8) and Lawrence (2-for-4) are now 9-for-17 and 8-for-16 in the last four games, respectively.

The Jags will be in action again on Saturday (Jan. 23) at South Dakota for a matchup with another top-tier Summit League opponent. Saturday's game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET in Vermillion, S.D.