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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – After such an emphatic win last week on a pretty shooting performance, the IUPUI women's basketball team (5-1) showed they can play gritty, hard-nosed, grind-it-out basketball, as the team defeated Indiana State (3-4) 45-35 Wednesday (Nov. 30).  The Jags forced 20 Sycamore turnovers, and overcame a 14-for-49 (.286) night by outrebounding Indiana State 38-34.

"Tonight we learned we can win on the road even if we don't make shots," Head Coach #Austin Parkinson said of the team effort.  "It was an ugly game, but every once in a while you have to grind one out."
 
The Jags were led by Mikale Rogers, who had a game-high 15 points in addition to six blocks.  Sydney Hall picked up 10 points and six boards, while Danielle Lawrence overcame a difficult shooting night to pick up seven rebounds.  Caitlyn Tolen, Jenna Gunn, Holly Hoopingarner, Kelsi Byrd, and Allex Brown also scored for the Jags.
 
A concerning start to the game for the Jaguars' offense, IUPUI shot just 3-for-15 in the first quarter.  Rogers connected on a pair of buckets while Hall dropped one in from beyond the arc, as the Jags also picked up a pair of free-throws in finding a way to still lead despite the dry start, 9-7, at the end of the first quarter.  The shooting woes continued into the second, as IUPUI began just 1-for-6 from the field in the second quarter for the first five minutes, picking up just a three-pointer from Lawrence, to trail 12-14 with 4:44 left to play.  The Sycamores forced the Jags into seven turnovers during the stretch.  Out of a timeout, Rogers quickly hit a jumper, soon followed by Hall's second triple of the game, as IUPUI ended a 2:12 scoreless streak to take a 17-16 lead.  IUPUI would force a 2:48 scoreless run for the Sycamores, ending the half with the same score.  In total, the teams combined to turn the ball over 22 times, As the Jags came up with three blocks and three steals.  The Sycamores outrebounded the Jags 20-17, but IUPUI went 2-for-2 from the charity stripe while Indiana State went just 1-for-6.
 
The Jags shot just 6-for-26 (.231) from the field, but went 3-for-9 (.333) from long range.  The Sycamores went 7-for-22 (.318) from the floor and 1-for-5 (.200) from beyond the arc.
 
Roughly two and a half minutes into the quarter, Rogers put up a jumper following 1-of-2 free-throws by Gunn to give IUPUI a three-point lead.  Under a minute later, Gunn added her first field goal of the game at the 6:55 mark to give IUPUI its biggest edge of the game, 22-18.  Rogers would earn a trip to the line on a hard move to the basket, knocking down both free-throws to grow the Jaguar lead and become the first player to hit double-digit points for the game.  She'd hit again from the floor on a layup with 4:35 left to play while also picking up the foul for a chance to convert the and-one.  She'd complete the three-point play following a media timeout to stretch the Jags lead to 27-18.  Continuing to keep the Sycamore offense in check, IUPUI stretched the ISU scoring drought to over five minutes, as it finally ended on just the third converted free-throw for the Sycamores with 3:15 to play.  Hoopingarner and Tolen both added a free-throw each, as the Sycamores collected no field goals for an eight minute stretch as IUPUI went on an 11-1 run, forcing four ISU turnovers.  With under a minute to play, Hoopingarner negated a pair of Indiana State free-throws with an and-one play just before the buzzer, as the clock read 0.6 seconds.  The Jags led by double-digits heading into the final frame, 32-21.

"Defensively, we were outstanding and stuck to the game plan," Coach Parkinson added.  "Mikale anchored us down low and Syd continued her stellar play."
 
Brown kicked things off with her first basket of the game a minute into the fourth quarter, as the Sycamores at long last hit a field goal on the next possession.  The teams then went jab-for-jab over the next couple minutes, as Hoopingarner and Rogers both tallied, followed by a Hall free-throw to make it 39-30 with 5:34 left to play.  Byrd ended over three and a half minutes of scoreless ball by both teams with a pair of free-throws as the game crept under the two-minute mark.  Following a Hall free-throw, the Sycamores hit a layup with under a minute to play, their first basket in over six minutes, as the Jags neared the finish line with a 10-point lead.  Hall added a layup for good measure with 16 seconds remaining, Tolen hit a free-throw, and the Jags left Terre Haute with a victory, 45-35. 
 
The Jags finished the game with a 4-for-10 (.400) showing in the fourth quarter, while IUPUI committed just seven turnovers in the second half, including just two in the fourth quarter, compared to 15 for Indiana State.  The Sycamores finished 4-for-15 from the free-throw line. 
 
With the victory, the Jags will now look to face one of the biggest challenges in recent memory, as IUPUI will host SEC-opponent Missouri Sunday (Dec. 4) in the Jungle at 2 p.m. EST. 
 
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