INDIANAPOLIS – IUPUI came up just short in its battle with Butler, falling to the Bulldogs 64-61 on Wednesday (Nov. 20). The Jags were led on offense by Macee Williams with 17 points.

IUPUI (2-2) found itself down three with possession at half court and two seconds left, but the inbounds pass was knocked away by Butler (4-0) as the Bulldogs sealed the victory.

Behind Williams, Natalie Andersen scored 13 points with 11 coming in the second half and Holly Hoopingarner added 11. Rachel McLimore finished just shy of double-figures with nine.

IUPUI had a three-point lead at 52-49 just over a minute in to the fourth quarter after a layup by Morgan Allen and with 5:25 left in the game, McLimore's layup but the Jags back on top 56-55. That all changed as the Jags went cold for over three minutes and Butler's Genesis Parker took control. Parker who scored 23 points and went 6-for-7 from deep hit two threes to put the Bulldogs up three.

Williams finally broke the Jaguar scoreless streak with a jumper with five seconds left to make it a two-point game but Butler hit one of two free throws to go up three before the final possession.

"I want to give Butler credit," said head coach Austin Parkinson. "They played well and Genesis Parker was outstanding. I thought we were soft and for the second-straight game we had a lead going in to the fourth quarter and turn the ball over on half the possessions. You aren't going to beat many teams when you turn the ball over 20-plus times a game."

The Jags were successful on defense against Kristen Spolyar who came in to the game averaging over 24 points per game. IUPUI held the senior to 13 on 3-of-8 shooting but Spolyar went 6-for-8 from the free throw line including the final free throw for Butler.

IUPUI again shot itself in the foot, committing 20 turnovers, the third game this season the Jags have had at least 20 turnovers. Seven of those turnovers came in the final quarter. IUPUI also struggled from the free throw line, going just 8-for-14 from the stripe after shooting over 81 percent in the first three games.

It was the long ball that got the Jags back in to the game after falling behind early. IUPUI hit eight of their nine three during the second and third quarters, four in each, erasing the eight-point Butler lead at the end of the first to take a three-point lead in to the fourth quarter.

In the third, IUPUI fell behind by as much as six before McLimore hit a three and Williams added a layup. Two free throws by Williams cut Butler's lead to 43-41 and then both teams went scoreless for over two minutes. When the scoring began again, it was Andersen hitting back-to-back threes for IUPUI to cap an 8-0 run that put the Jags up by four. After Butler had tied the game Andersen hit her third long ball of the quarter to give the Jags the three point lead they took in to final frame.

It was slow start for IUPUI in the first quarter with the Jags first basket coming more than three minutes in to the game on a jumper by McLimore. After Williams cut the Butler lead to one on a put back layup, Butler built the lead back to eight by the end of the period.

Perkins got the second quarter off with a bang hitting a three from the top of the key in a sign of what was to come the rest of the quarter for the Jags. After Parker hit a three in response, Hoopingarner hit her second three of the game, cutting the lead to five. Later in the quarter, Parker hit another three for the Bulldogs but Williams responded with a layup and Hoopingarner hit the Jags third three of the quarter to make it a one-score game.

The Jags continued to get the ball in to Williams who added two baskets getting the deficit to one and with 1:19 left in the half, a jumper by Natalie Andersen gave IUPUI its first lead. Butler answered with another three and 30 seconds later, Roule hit a three putting the Jags back up one before Butler scored a basket with 21 seconds left to take the one-point lead in to the half.

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IUPUI will be off for the weekend before heading to UT Martin for a battle against the Skyhawks on Monday (Nov. 23) at 7 p.m.