GREEN BAY, Wis. – IUPUI battled but fell just short against No. 22/21 Green Bay on Sunday afternoon, losing to the Phoenix 52-45 on Sunday (Jan. 28) afternoon.
 
The Jags (16-5, 8-2 Horizon) gave Green Bay (19-2, 9-1 Horizon) everything they had and took a six-point lead in to the final quarter but the offense fell quiet in the last frame against the best defense in the NCAA.
 
Green Bay used a 14-2 run in the fourth quarter to take their first lead at since being up 4-2 in the first. IUPUI was held scoreless for over eight minutes in the final frame and were held to just six fourth quarter points in front of the largest and loudest crowd the Jags have seen this season.
 
Sydney Roule finished with a career-high 11 points, hitting three threes to lead IUPUI, who was without leading scorer Danielle Lawrence who missed the game due to family matters. Holly Hoopingarner also finished in double-figures with 10 points.
 
Sydney Hall and Jenna Gunn each added seven points and Tamya Sims chipped in six.
 
The Jags did something that most teams have not been able to do against Green Bay and that is control the glass. The Jags finished with game plus-14 in the rebound column, including 15 offensive rebounds. Sims and Macee Williams were tied for the team lead with seven rebounds and five different Jaguars pulled down two offensive boards.
 
The trouble for IUPUI came in the turnover department. IUPUI finished the game with 22 turnovers, including multiple shot clock violations late in the game during the Green Bay run.
 
IUPUI just could not fine a way to stop Preseason Second-Team All-Horizon League selection Allie LeClaire, who finished with a game high 22 points on 8-for-11 shooting. LeClaire scored 13 of her 22 points after the halftime break.
 
IUPUI got off to a hot start in the first quarter using the three-ball. With the Jags down two, Hall, Gunn and Hoopingarner hit three-straight from down town to give the Jags an 11-4 lead. Sims added a free throw and Gunn hit a pull up jumper to make it a 12-0 IUPUI run.
 
After a jumper from Green Bay, IUPUI got a wide open layup from Morgan Allen and Roule capped 17-2 run with a three to put the Jags up 19-6 after one quarter.
 
Green Bay chipped away at the lead, beginning the second quarter on a 6-0 run before Roule hit another three. Eight-straight points by the Phoenix closed the gap to two, but IUPUI held Green Bay scoreless over the last three minutes of the half, adding four free throws to take a six point lead in to the half.
 
The Jags will have a bit of a break, not returning to the court until Saturday, Feb. 3 with a matchup against UIC at the Jungle. Tip-off for the game against the Flames is scheduled for 3 p.m.