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INDIANAPOLIS – The second leg of a three-game road trip, the IUPUI women's basketball team (11-4, 1-1) returns to action Saturday (Jan. 7) in a matinee battle at 2 p.m. EST with reigning WNIT Champion South Dakota (13-3, 2-1). The showdown features two CollegeInsider Mid-Major Top-25 programs and will air on ESPN3.
Ranked 18th amongst mid-majors, the Jags come into the contest after a disappointing showing in their worst loss of the season, coming at the hands of the Omaha Mavericks. In that game, the Jags posted a season-worst four points in the first quarter, and finished with their only double-digit loss of the season at 44-64. The game was a far cry from what the Jags have accomplished this season, as IUPUI has averaged just a hair under 70 points per game. The team is shooting .438 from the field and .383 from three-point range. The Jags own a +1.3 turnover margin and a +2.7 rebound margin while making better in recent weeks on some of the issues that plagued them earlier in the season. Through the first few games, the Jags were averaging above 18 turnovers per game, and have dropped that down to below 15.
The Jags have enjoyed winning streaks of seven and three games this season, as the team is led by junior
Danielle Lawrence with 14.7 points per game.
Mikale Rogers averages 13.7 points and 7.5 rebounds while
Sydney Hall has turned in 11.0 points per contest. The Jags have limited opponents to an average of 57.7 points per game on a .392 shooting percentage from the field, and have increased their defensive efficiency beyond the arc, holding other teams to a .285 three-point percentage.
Similar to the Jaguars, the Coyotes have enjoyed a stellar season that only recently was interrupted by a hiccup. Coming in at number five amongst mid-majors, South Dakota was upset Wednesday (Jan. 4) by North Dakota State, 73-83. Before that, the Coyotes were on a seven-game winning streak and had opened up Summit League play with wins over Denver and South Dakota State before the 10-point loss. Led by Allison Arens, who averages a Summit League-best 21.4 points per game, the 'Yotes own the best team shooting percentage in the League at .461, while averaging a second-best 75.5 points. Defensively, however, they're the worst at defending the three-point shot, surrendering a .381 clip to other teams. The Jags are the best shooting three-point team at .383 for the season.
All-time, the Jags are just 3-9 against South Dakota. The Coyotes have won four in a row, with the Jags last topping USD on Jan. 24, 2015 in a 68-43 victory at home. In that game, senior
Kelsi Byrd netted 16 points. Head Coach
Austin Parkinson has never defeated the Coyotes in Vermillion, South Dakota.
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