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INDIANAPOLIS – With the offseason, media day, closed scrimmages, the red and white scrimmage and their exhibition game behind them, the IUPUI women's basketball team will look to kick off the 2016-17 season at long last Friday (Nov. 11) when the team hosts Northern Iowa at 7 p.m. EST in the Jungle.  The matchup marks the first official regular season game for Head Coach Austin Parkinson and his program, who enters his seventh season with high expectations surrounding his team.
 
After finishing last season with a 21-11 overall record, with an 11-5 finish in Summit League play, the Jags were picked to finish second according to the Summit League preseason polls this year.  The spot puts them behind reigning Summit League Tournament champions South Dakota State after IUPUI returned to the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) for the third time in four seasons last year.  Two players, Mikale Rogers and Danielle Lawrence, were named First-Team All-Summit League selections last year and returned to pick up Preseason All-Summit League selections this season.  The duo's selection last season marked the first time in program history that a pair of underclassmen were both named to the First-Team in the same season. 
 
In their exhibition game against Lindenwood University – Belleville earlier this month (Nov. 2), the Jags were victorious in dominant fashion, downing the Lynx 86-52.  Lawrence picked up 16 points in just 21 minutes of play, Holly Hoopingarner made her IUPUI debut by swiping 15 points while Sydney Hall contributed 13 of her own. 
 
The matchup with Northern Iowa marks the first time in program history that the two teams will meet.  Last season, the Panthers finished the year 24-11 while going 11-4 in Missouri Valley Conference play.  The team advanced to the MVC Tournament Championship game before falling to Missouri State.  The Panthers also earned a birth to the WNIT, picking up victories over Drake and Nebraska before falling to eventual tournament champion South Dakota, 51-50, in the third round.  The Panthers saw the departure of four seniors from last year's roster and currently feature three seniors this season.  The team returns their top-two leading scorers from a year ago, with Madison Weekly and Amber Sorenson returning to the hardwood.  Weekly averaged a whopping 17.7 points-per-game while shooting .423 from the field.  Sorenson added 12.4 points.
 
Lawrence and Rogers were the top scorers for IUPUI last season, with Lawrence averaging 13.2 points and Rogers adding 12.5 per game.  Both players shot better than .450, with Rogers reaching .461 on the season. 
 
The Jags welcome four freshman to the roster this year after seeing the departure of seven players from last season.  The team returns seven.
 
The game will be available to watch for free via IUPUI Live! on the IUPUIJags.com website.  You can find the link available HERE.
 
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