IOWA CITY, Iowa – The IUPUI women's basketball team defeated the No. 15 Iowa Hawkeyes in comeback fashion Tuesday afternoon, 74-73. The Jags came back from an 18-point deficit and took the lead with two free throws from senior Rachel McLimore with three seconds left in the fourth quarter. The Jags' win over No. 15 Iowa marks the first time the women's IUPUI basketball team has beaten a nationally ranked team in school history and marks the first win over a BIG Ten school since the Jags beat Purdue, 67-62, on Dec. 21, 2016.
 
"Extremely proud of our players digging deep in the fourth quarter and battling back to give ourselves a chance at the end to win," said head coach Austin Parkinson. "The first half we gave up 26 points off second chance points and points off turnovers. In the second half, we turned that around with our effort which changed the game."
 
IUPUI in their first game back since their previous game was cancelled due to Covid-19 issues, fell behind early and trailed until the fourth quarter. Iowa held their largest lead of 54-36 with five minutes left in the third quarter. The Jags added heavy pressure in the fourth quarter going on a 9-0 run and outscoring the Hawkeyes 27-11 in the last quarter.

"Our team never gives up no matter how much we are down," said senior McLimore. "We're not afraid to play anybody. We believe we can beat anyone in the country when we step on the court."
 
Graduate student Macee Williams led the Jags with 19 points, seven rebounds and three assists. McLimore was a key player in the win with 19 points and two rebounds.

"Macee is one of the best post players in the country and she showed that in the second half," said Parkinson. "I was incredibly impressed by Rachel McLimore who guarded the other team's leading scorer and at the same time made clutch plays down the stretch."
 
Starters, McLimore (19 points), Williams (19), Madison Wise (12), Rachel Kent (9) and Destiny Perkins (1) set the pace for the Jags. Perkins also added seven rebounds and two assists while Wise also added seven rebounds. Sophomore Anna Mortag came off the bench and scored six with three rebounds while Morgan Allen added five points and four rebounds.
 
The Jags shot 43.9 percent (25-for-57) from the floor, 37.0 percent (10-for-27) from behind the arc and 70.0 percent (14-for-20) from the free throw line. IUPUI's defense held the Hawkeyes, who entered the game ranked 12th in three-point percentage, to just 18.2 percent (4-for-22) beyond the three-point line.
 
"This is a huge win for our ladies, not just because Iowa is a top 15 team but because the Hawkeyes are one of the best coached teams in the country," said Parkinson.
 

 IUPUI will return to the Jungle for back-to-back Horizon League games. The Jags with face Northern Kentucky on Dec. 31 at 2:00 p.m., then take on Wright State on Jan. 2 with tip-off at 3:00 p.m. Game coverage for both games will be on ESPN+.