ORLANDO, Fla. – IUPUI led from the opening bucket and withstood a late rally to beat Wyoming 65-59 on the last day of the UCF Thanksgiving Classic.
 
IUPUI (4-1) never trailed for the fourth game this season, jumping out to a 10-0 lead and held off the Wyoming (4-2), who tied the Jags at 53 in the fourth quarter.
 
The Jags were led on offense by Danielle Lawrence who poured in 18 points, including a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line to help ice the game away. Holly Hoopingarner, who made her first start of the season in place of Lawrence finished with 16 points and Tamya Sims added 14.
 
"I thought Holly [Hoopingarner] set the tone early and Danielle [Lawrence] really played under control," said head coach Austin Parkinson. "Today was an important win for us because we responded to a loss the right way by coming out ready to attack defensively."
 
Hoopingarner and Sims started strong for the Jags as a Hoopingarner had a jumper and a three-point shot and Sims had a three-point play and a three-pointer of her own to increase the Jags early lead to 13-3. Lawrence came off the bench late in the quarter and added four points of her own to help the Jags to a 19-9 lead.
 
IUPUI increased its lead to 18 after starting the second quarter on a 8-0 run. Sydney Hall started the run with a jumper, followed by a free throw from Sims. Hoopingarner knocked down her second three of the night and a layup by Macee Williams pushed the Jags lead to 27-9.
 
Wyoming battled back, led by 15 points from Natalie Baker, 13 from Selale Kepenc and 11 from Taylor Rusk. The Jags held leading scorer Liv Roberts to two points on 1-for-4 shooting, who dealt with foul trouble most of the game.
 
After trailing by 13 at halftime, the Cowgirls used a 10-4 run to cut the Jags lead to seven early in the third quarter. The quarter continued to go back and forth but the Jags still maintained the seven point lead heading in to the final frame.
 
Hoopingarner started the final frame with a jumper but the Jags would go cold and allow Wyoming to tie the game at 53 after nine-straight points. IUPUI then turned to Lawarence who hit a jumper, Hoopingarner hit two from the free throw line and Jenna Gunn hit a jumper. Four-straight points by Lawrence capped off an 8-2 run by the Jags to put the game out of reach.
 
"Overall this was a positive trip because we played quality competition and got better as a team," said Parkinson.
 
The Jags continue a four-game road trip on Wednesday (Nov. 29) when they head to Tennessee to take on Memphis. IUPUI will end the trip with a game at Ohio on Saturday (Dec. 2).