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INDIANAPOLIS – Playing in the final non-conference game of the season for the Jags, the IUPUI women's basketball team (10-3) was ferocious in an absolute dismantling of IU-Northwest (13-4), winning the game 89-36. The 19th ranked mid-major took down the 13th ranked NAIA program on a night where every IUPUI player scored.
"I'm really happy with our effort coming out of the break," Head Coach
Austin Parkinson said of his team's victory after a long layoff.
The Jags shot .492 on the night, including .448 (13-for-29) from three-point range. The Jags committed just nine turnovers in the game, forcing 20 from IU-Northwest. The Jags won the rebound battle 42-27, and commanded the paint with a 34-18 scoring advantage. 27 of the Jags points came off of turnovers, and 17 came on second-chance opportunities. The Jaguars' bench outscored the Redhawks' bench 38-21.
IUPUI was led on the night by
Caitlyn Tolen, who had a career-high 19 points while shooting 5-for-9 from three-point range.
Taylor Drake had undoubtedly her greatest showing as a Jaguar, picking up a season-high 17 points and six rebounds, including three blocks.
Danielle Lawrence and
Sydney Hall finished with 11 and 10 points respectively, while
Kelsi Byrd had a game-high seven assists in the contest.
Daesjah Ely put up a season-best nine points on a trio of three-point shots, while
Jenna Gunn had a strong night with nine points and five rebounds while going a perfect 4-for-4 from the field.
Mikale Rogers had two points in limited playing time.
"Both Taylor (Drake) and Daesjah (Ely) scored the ball well, and they took great pride on the defensive side," Coach Parkinson added of the freshmen's performances.
The Jags hit the ground running, as IUPUI opened up the scoring on a quick move through the lane by Tolen. A pair of possessions later, Lawrence stripped the ball then took it the length of the floor for the fast break bucket. She'd later fight inside for a put-back bucket on an offensive board, quickly followed by Gunn's first points on a layup set up by Hall. Slowing the pace down, the Jags worked the ball around the horn, finding a wide open Tolen who dropped in a triple. IUPUI waited nearly five minutes before allowing their first bucket defensively, holding a commanding 11-2 lead. Lawrence responded on the ensuing possession, working to the right side of the rim for a layup. The Jags continued to utilize strong ball movement, finding Hall in the right side corner for the second three-pointer of the game, sending the teams to the first media timeout. The Jags opened with a 7-for-11 performance from the field, forcing four turnovers defensively and posting 10 points in the paint.
After the break, Gunn connected on a second chance opportunity for IUPUI, extending the lead to 18-4. Brown knocked down her first points of the game, a right-side layup on a setup from Hall. Tolen answered a Redhawks' three-pointer with her own long-range shot, the final bucket for either side heading into the first quarter break with a 23-9 lead. The Jags netted nine points off of turnovers, in addition to four second-chance points. The team finished with a .588 clip in the quarter, and limited themselves to a pair of turnovers. The Jags outrebounded the Redhawks 10-6.
Tolen opened up the second quarter with her third three-point dagger on a setup from Hall, as the Jags nearly tripled up the 'Hawks. Brown demonstrated savvy down low, ripping away an offensive board and returning it to the hole for her second bucket. She'd replicate that outcome on the ensuing possession, picking up a missed shot and putting it up for the layup. The Jags would make it three possessions in a row with an offensive board, as Gunn collected in the missed shot and worked it to Tolen, who tossed up her fourth three-pointer. A triangle of movement between Gunn, Hall and Byrd resulted in a right-side layup for Gunn, followed by a pair of free-throws from Rogers. At the second quarter media timeout, the Jags held a 37-11 lead, shooting .455 (5-for-11) in the second quarter. Tolen led all players with 14 points.
Brown returned to the floor after the timeout and quickly connected from the top of the key, adding three more for IUPUI. Up 40-13, Drake hit her first bucket since the team's win against Georgia Southern, extending the lead. Hall added a pair of free-throws with under a minute to play, quickly followed by a second trip to the charity stripe. She threw down two more, as the Jags built a 46-19 lead heading into the half. The Jags shot .500 at the break, going 17-for-34 from the field. The Jags limited themselves to four turnovers through the first pair of quarters, forcing 10 on the other side. Hall and Byrd led both teams with four assists each. IUPUI ripped off 16 points on turnovers.
Tolen started the second half with her fifth three-pointer of the game in the first minute of action, followed by two free-throws from Lawrence. Rogers found Gunn working to the hoop on a back pass, as the junior picked up the and-one after converting the hoop through the foul. Lawrence quickly ripped the nylon on a three-point shot on the next possession, as the Jags increased their lead to 36 points. Drake broke up a two-minute scoring drought with her second bucket, set up by Byrd on her fifth assist of the game. Tolen hit a spot-up jumper in transition, Byrd dropped in a triple with seven seconds to play, and the Jags led 67-28 heading into the final quarter. The team shot 7-for-14 (.500) in the quarter, and 4-for-8 (.500) from three-point range.
It took nearly three minutes, but Drake finally pulled the lid off the bucket with a second-chance layup to start the scoring. She'd hit again on the next possession after earning a block on the other end, as IUPUI climbed to a 71-30 lead. After a timeout, Ely hit her first basket of the game, a left-side triple, and would quickly follow up with another three-pointer on the next possession. The points meant every player for IUPUI that played scored a basket. She'd make it three-straight possessions, hitting from the same left-side corner spot to reach nine points. Drake dropped in two free-throws on a pair of trips to the line, follow by back-to-back buckets from the floor to increase the Jags lead to 86-32. A pair of possessions later, Drake would hit again from the floor, earning the hoop-and-the-harm on an and-one play. The Jags would hold off on the final shot, sending the team to a lopsided victory, 89-36.
With the win, the Jags wrap up their non-conference schedule, and will open up Summit League play Saturday (Dec. 31) against Western Illinois at 3:30 p.m. EST in the second men's-women's doubleheader in the Coliseum.
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