INDIANAPOLIS - Danielle Lawrence's game-winning three just went off the rim as IUPUI fell to Purdue 48-46 in the first round of the WNIT.

After going down by six with 5:30 left, IUPUI (22-10) defense held Purdue (19-13) scoreless for the next five minutes to spark a comeback. Lawrence hit a jumper and Williams made a layup to pull the Jags within two. With 35 seconds left, Tamya Sims got a layup to go and was fouled but missed the go-ahead free throw. With 5.8 second left in the game, Purdue's Karissa McLaughlin hit a jumper to give the Boilermakers a 48-46 lead.

Head coach Austin Parkinson drew up a play that sprung Lawrence for an open three as time expired, but the shot went begging.

"Danielle got her feet set and got an open look and from where I was sitting I thought it was going in," said Parkinson. "It came down to a bang-bang play and we got a good shot and I wouldn't have had it in anyone else's hand."

"For a long time I thought we played really well and I thought we might be able to pull it out and win the game," said Lawrence.

Macee Williams and Sims were tied for the team lead with 12 points and Lawrence added 11 but the Jags were held to just 37 percent shooting (20-54). IUPUI struggled getting baskets inside as Purdue finished with 10 blocks, including five by Ae'Rianna Harris. 

"[Our offense] struggled like it has the last five weeks," said Parkinson. "We were leading the [Horizon] League in scoring, but we have not shot the ball well recently. Our defense has been good enough to win games but our offense just has not been able to make shots."

With 2:05 left in the third quarter, Lawrence hit two free throws to put IUPUI up six but it was the last time the Jags would score for almost the next seven minutes of game time. A three-point shot by Andreona Keys and a McLaughlin jumper cut the Jags lead to one to end the third. Purdue continued the run to start the fourth with a Keys jumper, a Tamara Farquhar layup and a McLaughlin three to cap the 12-0 run to put Purdue on top by six. 

The Jags were outrebounded by Purdue 37-29 but both teams finished with 13 offensive rebounds. Williams was the leading rebounder for IUPUI, pulling down eight boards, including five on the offensive end. Sims added seven rebounds and Jenna Gunn finished with four. IUPUI only gave the ball away eight times and forced 17 turnovers.

IUPUI's largest lead came in the second quarter when the Jags used a 9-0 run to push the advantage to 11 points. Sydney Hall started the run with one of her two threes on the night. This was followed by layups from Gunn and Sims, both assisted by Agatha Beier. Lawrence finished the run with a layup. Lawrence hit a three later in the quarter after two Purdue buckets and the Jags took an eight point lead in to halftime. 

The Jags seemed to be in control early, working inside after Harris, Purdue's best interior defender, left the game with two early fouls. It was a low scoring defensive battle early but Williams scored eight of IUPUI's first 15 points as the Jags took a 15-7 lead after back-to-back layups by Williams. The lead was cut very quickly by two threes from McLaughlin. 

The loss brings the end to the careers of Lawrence and Gunn who go out as one of the all-time winningest senior classes in IUPUI history.