The IUPUI Jaguars have had a phenomenal 2019-2020 campaign, with an overall record of 20-8 and a conference record of 14-3, including a near-perfect 11-1 at home in the Jungle. During this stretch, Macee Williams has been the talk of the town, and understandably so. Averaging 17.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, the Veedersburg, Indiana native is considered almost a lock to win her second-straight Horizon League Player of the Year award.
 
Yet, the Jags have a lot more than just star power. Williams and her fellow starters do battle every week knowing that they are backed by a rock-solid unit off the bench: a unit that includes two veteran juniors. Agatha Beier and Morgan Allen know their roles well and have filled them superbly throughout their careers.
 
Beier, a 5'9" guard from Hartford, Iowa, combined basketball with volleyball, softball and track in high school. Although not the most prolific scorer in college, she is a capable playmaker and was third on the team with 67 assists in 2018-2019. This year, she has 38 assists and averages 1.9 points per game, but many of her most meaningful contributions do not show up on the stat sheet.
 
"This year, I've enjoyed cheering on my teammates and helping out players who forgot a play, or forgot the scouting report," Beier explained. "I make sure that they know those types of things. I make sure we have a lot of energy on the bench, and I'm ready for whenever my name gets called to play."
 
One of the beneficiaries of Beier's efforts is Allen, a 6'2" center from Hortonville, Wisconsin. A lifelong basketball player, she is averaging 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game this season as a stout presence in the low post. Allen eats up vital minutes whenever Williams is on the bench, or in foul trouble, and has credited her fellow center with keeping her sharp.
 
"Playing with Mace has been such a blast," Allen said. "We're roommates and friends off the court, and we're just here to make each other better. In every practice—and preseason especially when we're playing against each other—our main goal is to just to make each other work."
 
As they are both from small towns, Beier and Allen enjoy the experience of living in a city like Indianapolis. They praise head coach Austin Parkinson's recruiting skills for bringing them together with players who share their drive and determination. But there is one vital aspect of Jags culture that often goes overlooked: the Christian faith.
 
Beier and Allen are both followers of Jesus Christ, and as good friends off the court, they attend a campus Bible study together. They also share their faith with a number of teammates including Williams, senior point guard Holly Hoopingarner, redshirt sophomore Rachel McLimore, and even Coach Parkinson himself. And that common faith has given the Jags a level of unity and fellowship that they would not otherwise possess.
 
"[Faith] has been a very connecting point for all of us because it really brings people together," Beier shared. "It's about more than just playing the game, it's about playing for our faith and showing that to people around us."
 
Allen concurred wholeheartedly. "We have a lot of believers on the team, and it's really brought us closer together. [Faith] has connected us off the court, which transfers to on the court, and it really helps us build deeper connections."
 
The Christian faith drives Beier and Allen to excel in all areas of their lives, not just in sport. Both players were named to the Fall/Spring Academic Advisor's Lists in each of the past two seasons for having at least a 3.0 GPA. Beier is pursuing a career in the medical field and plans to take her MCAT on May 9. Allen was recently accepted into the Masters of Sociology program at IUPUI.
 
"I really try to put the 'student' in 'student-athlete' first," Allen said. "I'm here to play basketball, yes, but also do well in the classroom. It's really been a blessing to play basketball while also excelling in academics."
 
The Jags have a final regular-season tune-up against UIC before the Horizon League tournament begins on March 3. While starters like Williams, Hoopingarner and McLimore will take center stage, Beier and Allen will no doubt be called upon alongside their bench compatriots. If they can perform like they have all season long, IUPUI is poised to go on a deep and successful playoff run.