INDIANAPOLIS – Playing the finale of the 2015-16 regular season and pitted against the top-ranked team in the Summit League, the women's basketball team (20-9, 11-5) could not overcome the Coyotes of South Dakota (24-5, 15-1) on senior night at the Jungle, falling 63-74 in front of the 525 in attendance for the No. 3 vs. No. 1 matchup.
The Jags' were led on the night by seniors
Akilah Sims and
Shaquira Scott with 14 points each,
Mikale Rogers added 12 and the Jags' shot 20-51 (39.2 percent) for the night. With the loss, IUPUI will head into the Summit League tournament with the No. 3 spot, as the Coyotes will secure the top spot followed by South Dakota State.
The Jags' had their foot on the gas from the opening tip, as Sims connected on the first shot of the game for either team from eight feet out on the left side, giving IUPUI the early lead. Following a five-point flurry by USD,
Danielle Lawrence received a
Nicole Rogers pass in the left side corner and drained it for a three-pointer to tie the affair at 5. Eight-straight points by the Coyotes forced head coach
Austin Parkinson to call a time out with 4:55 left in the quarter, as immediately out of the break, Sims dropped in a layup on a hard fake to make it 7-13. Scott dropped in a bucket at the 3:02 mark to make it a four-point game. After a small rough patch, which included five USD points, Sims would connect on a pair of free throws with just over a minute left in the first, making it 11-18. Rogers would add another deuce, utilizing a strong post-play on a fake to the left then spin right for the final Jaguar basket before the break with the score at 13-21.
Scott and
Allex Brown would combine for three free throws in the first minute and a half in the second quarter to open the new frame, 16-23. A
Kelsi Byrd free throw would be the only point for the Jags' until the 3:56 mark, when Lawrence nailed a jumper from around the charity stripe to end the skid, 19-30. The next possession, Byrd hit her first field goal, a three-pointer from the left side to tack on another trio. The Jags' would be unable to find the bottom of the net for the remainder of the quarter, as the squad would head into the break down 22-32.
It would take five shots before the Jags' would pick up their first bucket of the second half, as Scott converted an and-one play at the 8:32 mark to make it a 10-point deficit, 25-35. A three-pointer by
Caitlyn Tolen would break up a seven-point run by USD to put the Jaguar deficit at 14. Rogers would answer a Coyote basket with a hoop-and-the-harm, converting the three-point play to make it 31-44. Scott picked up a free throw and a field goal, tacking on another three points for IUPUI. Sims would add a layup with 45 seconds left and Lawrence would toss in a pair of free throws to end the scoring, 38-54.
Lawrence would kick off the final quarter with a quick basket for IUPUI on a 10-foot shot from the front of the basket. After a five-point run by the Coyotes, Scott converted one of two free throws to make it 41-59. Sims would throw down six more points for the Jags' on a three-pointer and an and-one play, part of an 11-5 run for IUPUI that would set the score at 52-64. A Rogers jumper, a
Martha Burse free throw, and a Scott layup made up the next five points for IUPUI, as the home team still trailed by 12 points. After a USD bucket, Scott would drop in a free throw at the 1:20 mark, with the score at 58-71. Rogers would toss up a three-pointer in the final minute, Tolen and Gunn would add a free throw each, but the deficit was too much for the Jags' to overcome, as they fell with the final score 63-74.
The Summit League tournament will begin next week, Saturday (Mar. 5) in Sioux Falls, S.D..
