INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI Athletics Department and Head Women's Basketball Coach
Austin Parkinson announced the Jaguars' 2017-18 schedule for the upcoming winter season on Friday (Sept. 8). The schedule is highlighted by 13 homes games inside The Jungle, including Indiana State (Nov. 17) and Miami (Dec. 6) in non-conference play. Parkinson's team's road slate will include trips to Northern Iowa (Nov. 10) to open the season and other notable trips to Orlando (Nov. 25-26) and true road games at Memphis (Nov. 29) and DePaul (Dec. 20).
The Jaguars will open Horizon League play with three straight road games, beginning at UIC (Dec. 30). IUPUI will open the home league schedule against Detroit Mercy (Jan. 11) and culminate the season on Senior Day against Northern Kentucky (Feb. 25). IUPUI's first-ever trip to Motor City Madness will coincide with the tournament moving to Little Caesars Arena. The arena, which will be home to the Detroit Pistons, features world-class technology throughout, which includes incredible sight lines and theatrical lighting.
"As we prepare to enter the Horizon League, we have a very road heavy slate of games to get us used to playing in difficult environments. We've also tried to focus on playing tournament-caliber, high RPI teams to positively impact our RPI," Parkinson said.
On the floor, Parkinson's team returns leading scorer
Danielle Lawrence (15.6 ppg, 78.7 FT%) from last year's team, along with fellow starters
Sydney Hall (9.8 ppg, 70 3's) and
Jenna Gunn (8.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg). In addition, other key returners include sophomore guard
Holly Hoopingarner (6.3 ppg, 47.4 3FG%) and junior forward
Allex Brown (2.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg). Bradley-transfer
Tamya Sims is expected to provide an immediate impact in the post while the incoming five-person recruiting class is keyed by former Indiana All-Star
Macee Williams. Williams was ranked as the No. 69 national recruit by ESPN Hoop Gurlz and was a two-time Journal Review Girls' Player of the Year.
The Jaguars reached the WNIT for the fourth time in five seasons last year and have averaged 20.6 wins per season during that stretch.
The typically stingy Jaguars were especially tough on defense a season ago, holding foes to just 39.7 percent shooting and 28.6 percent from three-point range. Opponents scored just 57.2 points per game against IUPUI and turned the ball over more than 16 times a game.
Game times, media coverage and promotions will be added to the schedule as the season draws nearer.
