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INDIANAPOLIS – Getting redemption for a lopsided bout their last time out, the IUPUI women's basketball team (17-6, 7-3) came out swinging in a rematch with Omaha (11-12, 4-6) Thursday night (Feb. 2), dropping the Mavericks 79-47.  The win pushes the Jags to six in-a-row.
 
"Tonight, our young ladies came out with a defensive mindset and attacked the rim on offense," Head Coach Austin Parkinson said.  "Danielle (Lawrence) played the most complete game of the year on both ends of the floor."
 
Danielle Lawrence was the lead scorer for IUPUI, netting 21 points in the victory while coming just a rebound shy of a double-double.  She went 8-for-16 from the field on the night, part of a team 25-for-52 (.481) showing.  Defensively, she picked up four steals, helping the Jags force 21 Omaha turnovers.  Mikale Rogers added 15 points with five rebounds and a block, Holly Hoopingarner netted 10 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the free-throw line, as the Jags went a collective 21-of-24 (.875) from the charity stripe.

"I also thought our bench really stepped up in key moments during the game," Coach Parkinson added.
 
Tolen kicked off the game to roaring applause, as she found Lawrence cutting to the hoop for a layup on the right side.  Gunn found an opening just left of the paint on the next possession, as the junior dropped in a jumper to expand the lead.  Rogers kicked out a pass from the paint, finding an open Tolen beyond the arc for three points.  Next trip down, Lawrence connected on a triple to force Omaha into an early timeout with the Jags up 10-2.  Gunn and Hall each tossed in a pair of free-throws, followed by a fast break on a steal that turned into another trip to the charity stripe.  Gunn would hit 1-of-2 free-throws on the chance, as Lawrence would add to the point total on a jumper with two minutes left.  A free-throw by Hoopingarner, and a nice pump fake to a jumper by Gunn gave the Jags a substantial edge at 20-10.  With just over half a minute to go in the quarter, Hoopingarner knocked down two free-throws, and would earn a second trip to the line with just two seconds left on the clock.  She'd hit both chances, as IUPUI took a 24-10 lead into the second quarter.  The Jags shot 6-for-15 in the quarter, and went an impressive 10-for-12 from the free-throw line.  Omaha committed eight fouls and eight turnovers in the quarter.  The Jags picked up six steals.
 
Rogers received a pass in the paint, then kicked it out to Tolen who was beyond the arc to start the quarter.  After a dry spell lasting roughly three minutes, the Jags added to their lead, as Rogers connected on her first field goal of the game.  Hall added a free-throw, Rogers made a good sweeping move to drop in a layup, Rogers stepped in and beat the shot clock on a jumper, and the Jags climbed to a 34-16 lead.  Gunn made good on a pair of shots from the line, then drew an offensive foul on the other side to give her team the ball back.  Gunn would later drive the lane, then kick the ball out to the right-side for Lawrence, who connected on yet another three-point shot, the fourth of the game for IUPUI.  Lawrence added two free-throws with just over a minute remaining in the half, as IUPUI held off the Mavs before time expired.  The Jags took a 41-24 lead into the locker rooms, as the team shot  5-for-10 from the field in the second quarter, including 2-for-5 from three-point range.  IUPUI forced another five turnovers by Omaha.
 
A strange start to the beginning of the second half, Byrd got an opportunity to check into the game and shoot free-throws for IUPUI on a flagrant-one issued against Omaha.  She knocked down both to begin the action.  The Jags went around the horn, finding Lawrence in the left-side corner for three points, as the Jags built a 22-point lead.  Rogers backed her way into the paint, then turned around to deposit a jumper as IUPUI doubled up Omaha.  She'd make it back-to-back, utilizing a similar play for another bucket.  Hoopingarner netted a pair of free-throws to slow down a small rally from Omaha, Rogers added a jumper, and the Jags continued to hold a big lead in the third frame.  Rogers would hit a buzzer-beating jumper to end the quarter, as the Jags went up 56-34.  IUPUI shot 5-for-15 in the quarter, going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.
 
Hall knocked a triple and a layup in the opening moments of the fourth quarter, followed by a jumper from Brown to push the Jags to 63.  Byrd knocked down her first field goal on a three-point shot, as IUPUI forced a timeout with 6:34 left to play.  After a Lawrence jumper, the junior stripped the ball, then took it the length of the floor for a layup.  Rogers knocked down a jumper through contact, going to the line for the and-one play.  She'd convert the free-throw.  Hoopingarner took a page out of Lawrence' book, stripping the ball then running it the length of the floor for a layup.  She was fouled on the play, and converted the free-throw for the and-one.  Brown hit in the fading moments, as the Jags put in their reserves with the win well in hand.  The Jags won with the final score 79-47.    
 
With the victory, the Jags will take their six-game winning streak on the road, as the team prepares to face Oral Roberts Saturday (Feb. 4) at 1:30 p.m. EST in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
 
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