DAYTON, Ohio – IUPUI withstood a second half rally to hold on to a 62-58 victory over Wright State on Thursday (Feb. 13). The victory increases IUPUI's win streak to 13 and gives the Jags at least a share of the regular season title for the first time in school history.
IUPUI (19-6, 13-1 Horizon) was led by Macee Williams, who finished with 19 points, and Holly Hoopingarner, who added 12 before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Rachel McLimore finished with eight points and both Sydney Roule and Katelyn O'Reilly had seven.
The Jags went up by eight with just over three minutes left in the third quarter but Wright State (14-11, 9-5 Horizon) used a 1-0 run to take a 49-47 lead 90 seconds in to the fourth quarter. Both teams went scoreless for the next two minutes until Roule hit a three and after a turnover, Williams hit a jumper in the lane to put IUPUI up 52-49. Hoopingarner capped an 8-0 run for IUPUI with a three in the next possession to put the Jags up six.
Wright State responded with a layup but Williams got to the free throw line and hit two freebies to answer. Williams, who finished the game 11-for-13 from the stripe, hit two more free throws with just over two minutes to play to keep the Jags up six.
The Raiders' Angel Baker, who led all scorers with 22 points, hit a layup and after a Jaguar turnover, assisted on a three that pulled Wright State within one.
After committing the turnover, O'Reilly answered with a layup. After a Wright State three-point miss and offensive rebound, O'Reilly picked up a steal and hit one of two free throws to ice the game.
"I am incredibly proud of our team finding a way to win against a very good Wright State team," said head coach Austin Parkinson. "Katelyn made a tremendous play getting to the rim on the last play and then gets the steal on the scramble defensively."
Both teams were evenly matched on the night as IUPUI found itself in its closest game during the win streak. IUPUI was outrebounded by the Raiders by three overall and by six on the offensive end but the Jags made the most of their offensive boards, holding a 12-8 second chance point advantage. Natalie Andersen led IUPUI in rebounds with a career-high nine on the night.
Wright State finished with a four-point advantage in the paint but IUPUI doubled up the Raiders in points off turnovers (18-9) and held a large advantage in free throws. The Jags finished 18-of-21 from the free throw line while Wright State was just 2-for-4.
Things did not start off well for the Jags, who found themselves trailing after the first quarter for the first time since their game against Northern Iowa on Dec. 15. The nine-point deficit with 3:07 left to go in the first quarter was also the most the Jags had trailed by since taking on the Panthers.
Down by four after one, IUPUI used a 10-0 run to start the second quarter. Williams scored four points for the Jags in the run and Roule, McLimore and Morgan Allen also chipped in buckets. With 1:14 left in the quarter, Hoopingarner hit a jumper that put IUPUI up 36-27 and the Jags would take a five point lead in to the half. A good sign as IUPUI entered the game 18-1 on the season and 12-1 in league play when leading after the first 20 minutes.
A Williams three-point play began the second half and IUPUI would continue to hold the lead over the Raiders, even increasing it to ten points twice in the third quarter before Wright State started to claw their way back in to the game.
UP NEXT
IUPUI will play its final road game of the season with a trip to Northern Kentucky. A win against the Norse would secure IUPUI's first regular season title in school history and a spot in the semifinal of the Horizon League Championship.
