HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – IUPUI's win streak came to an end with a 65-62 loss at Northern Kentucky as the comeback fell short on Saturday (Feb. 15). Macee Williams led the Jaguars with 22 points and Rachel McLimore finished with 15 in the loss.
IUPUI (19-7, 13-2 Horizon) erased a 15-point deficit in the third quarter and was down by seven with just over two minutes left to play. Williams started a Jaguar run with a layup and a steal by Rachel McLimore led to a fast break layup by Destiny Perkins to cut the deficit to three.
The Jags got another stop and Williams drew a foul to get to the line. The junior hit both free throws cutting the Northern Kentucky lead to one at 63-62. The Norse missed a jumper on their next possession but IUPUI was called for a foul giving the ball back to NKU. Another miss by the Norse was rebounded by Holly Hoopingarner and the Jags got the ball in the front court.
After a timeout to draw up the play, McLimore's driving layup with eight seconds left was blocked out of bounds but the possession remained IUPUI's. McLimore had the play drawn up for her again and got an good look in the paint but her turnaround jumper came off the rim and was rebounded by NKU.
The Norse hit both free throws after a foul and IUPUI's inbound pass was stolen to end the game.
"Tough loss to a well prepared NKU team that competed harder than we did, which resulted in a double-digit deficit at half," said head coach Austin Parkinson. "I was proud of our ladies fighting their way back in the game and I thought Taylor Ramey stepped up on both ends of the floor. I'm still encouraged after this weekend. To have lost two road games by three points and two points all conference schedule is nothing to be ashamed of."
With the loss, IUPUI will have to wait at least one more game to clinch its first regular season title in school history and a bye to the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament.
The Jags finished with 17 turnovers, which helped create a big hole IUPUI had to climb out of as NKU turned IUPUI's turnovers in to 21 points. IUPUI also struggled on defense in the middle quarters of the game, allowing NKU to shoot 57.1% in the second quarter and 60% from the field in the third. IUPUI held NKU to just 16.7% in the first quarter and 25% in the final frame.
The Jags got out to an early advantage taking a 10-4 lead after a McLimore layup and IUPUI was up 15-10 after the first minutes but that changed in the second quarter.
The Norse outscored IUPUI 22-5 in the second period as the Jags went just 1-for-7 (14.3%) from the field and committed seven turnovers. After Williams hit a layup, Northern Kentucky used a 12-0 run that featured three turnovers by the Jags, to take control of the half.
The Jags went just 4-for-11 from deep but did shoot well from the free throw line, going 16-for-18. Williams led the Jags with an 8-for-9 day at the line. The Jags struggled to keep NKU off the line as the Norse went 21-for-27 from the stripe in the game.
The Jags held a 29-26 lead in rebounds was Williams led the way with seven for all players.
UP NEXT
IUPUI will come home to play their final three games of the regular season beginning with a matchup against Milwaukee on Friday, Feb. 21, with tip time set for 7 p.m.
