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INDIANAPOLIS – In a game that featured 37 turnovers and six fourth-quarter points, IUPUI women's basketball lost defensive struggle 45-43 to Green Bay on Thursday (Feb. 28).

IUPUI (18-10, 12-5 Horizon) had the ball with under ten seconds left in the game but turned the ball over on the inbounds pass and Green Bay (19-8, 14-3 Horizon) was able to run out the rest of the clock.

"I was upset with the execution on the last play," said head coach Austin Parkinson. "We practiced all week on that scenario and couldn't execute it when we wanted to. That is a really good team and you can't turn the ball over like that."

The fourth quarter began tied at 41 and just over one minute in to the frame, Holly Hoopingarner's jumper put the Jags up by two. It would be the last time IUPUI would score a point. Two minutes later Green Bay would tie the game at 43 with two free throws and with 3:03 left in the game, another free throw gave the Phoenix the lead. The deficit jumped to two after Green Bay hit its fourth free throw of the quarter. Over the last two minutes IUPUI would attempt just one field goal, a missed three by Sydney Hall, and commit two turnovers.

In the last ten minutes, both teams combined to go 1-for-20 with Green Bay going 0-for-12 and IUPUI going 0-for-7 from behind the three point line.

Katelyn O'Reilly led the Jags with 11 points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. O'Reilly was the only Jaguar to score in double-figures as both Hoopingarner and Sydney Roule finished with nine points. Roule was 3-for-7 on the night from deep before leaving the game due to injury in the fourth quarter.

"Sydney [Roule] spaces the floor and she shoots it really well, and she was having a really nice game" said Parkinson.

Macee Williams was held in check by the Phoenix, scoring a season-low five points, being hampered by early foul trouble that kept the sophomore out of most of the first half. Williams finished the game just 1-for-4 from the field but did pull down ten rebounds.

IUPUI dominated on the glass, finishing the game with 43 rebounds to just 24 for the Phoenix but IUPUI lost the turnover battle 26-11.

Green Bay jumped on the Jags early, scoring the first six points of the game and holding IUPUI scoreless until the 6:45 mark of the first quarter when O'Reilly put in a bucket. A jumper by Williams pulled the Jags within two but Green Bay answered with five-straight. A three by Hoopingarner pulled the Jags within four and IUPUI trailed by five after the first quarter after another O'Reilly basket.

Roule began the second quarter with two three that sandwiched a Phoenix basket to pull the Jags within one but Green Bay continued to keep IUPUI at bay with another three. The Phoenix got up by as much as nine but IUPUI closed out the half with a three from O'Reilly and a buzzer beating three Roule.

IUPUI continued to play catch-up in the third and found a rhythm on offense with four minutes left in the frame. Williams began the run with a jumper and Sims hit a jumper to cut the lead to three. After two free throws by Williams, IUPUI was down by just one. Green Bay responded with a bucket but Sims hit another free throw to cut it to two.

Hoopingarner tied the game with a jumper and IUPUI took its first lead of the game after Sims hit a jumper with 20 seconds left in the third. Green Bay tied the game with one second left on the clock to set up the fourth quarter.  

The loss moves IUPUI in to a tie for third-place with Youngstown State in the standings. Both the Jaguars and the Penguins have one game remaining on the season as the teams will determine who will be the third and fourth seeds in the 2019 Horizon League Women's Basketball Championships in their games on Saturday. Youngstown State has the upper hand as they own the tie-breaker over IUPUI.

QUICK NOTES

• IUPUI's 16 second half points were the lowest in any half this season and their two fourth quarter points are the lowest in a quarter this season. The Jags held Green Bay to just 11 points after halftime, a season-low for any opponent.
• The Jags posted season lows in both field goals (14) and field goals attempted (42) while committing a season-high 26 turnovers.
• Williams' five points are the lowest in her career since scoring two at Green Bay last season on Jan. 28.
• Sydney Hall pulled down two rebounds and now has 301 rebounds in her career.
• IUPUI finished 0-for-11 in the second half from the three-point line.
• The Jags shot just 33.3 percent from the field, their worst field-goal percentage in a home game this season.
• IUPUI held Green Bay to 32.1 percent shooting, the lowest for the Phoenix since shooting just 29.6 percent against South Dakota on Dec. 1.

UP NEXT
IUPUI will play its final home game of the regular season against Milwaukee on Saturday (March 2) with tip-off set for 2 p.m. The Jags will honor their three seniors before the game.