YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The IUPUI women's basketball team came back from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat the Youngstown State Penguins on Sunday afternoon in overtime, 76-68. The Jags hand the Penguins their first loss in conference play after going on a 6-0 run to set the pace in overtime. Three-time Horizon League Player of the Year,
Macee Williams earned her fourth consecutive double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore
Anna Mortag continued to make clutch shots with a three-pointer to tie the game with six seconds left in the fourth quarter.
"First of all, I want to give credit to Youngstown State. Head coach John Barnes does a great job with his team, and they out played us most of the 2nd half," said IUPUI head coach
Austin Parkinson. "We may have to start calling Anna 'Big Shot Mortag' after the last few clutch shots she has made at the end of the game situations."
IUPUI and Youngstown State were an even matchup as the Jags and Penguins were tied after the first quarter 10-10 and each team scored 14 points in the third quarter. The Penguins took their biggest lead of the game of nine points with 1:28 left in the fourth quarter. IUPUI forced three turnovers within the last minute and a half and brought the game within three points to set up the game-tying three from Mortag.
"Proud of our players for continuing to believe and fighting to give ourselves a chance to tie it up in regulation," said Parkinson. "It was great to see our players come together in overtime and execute the way they did."
The Jags went on a 6-0 run to start overtime and took their biggest lead of the game of 11 points with 14 seconds left in overtime. The Rachel duo, made up of
Rachel McLimore and
Rachel Kent, was a key piece in the win over the Penguins each scoring 14 points. McLimore added seven rebounds and two assists while Kent followed with six rebounds and one assist. Graduate student
Madison Wise also added eleven points and five rebounds while
Natalie Andersen totaled 10 points and seven rebounds. Mortag came off the bench to add six points and
Morgan Allen scored five points.
IUPUI finished the game at 52 percent (26-of-50) from the floor and 38.1 percent (8-of-21) from the three-point line while holding the 15-1 Penguins to just 33.8 percent (24-of-71) from the floor and 25.7 percent (9-of-35) from behind the arc. The Jaguars outrebounded Youngstown State 40-31.
IUPUI has now won five straight conference games and will return to the Jungle to take on another Horizon League foe UIC on Friday, Jan. 21 at 7:00 PM ET. Game coverage with be on ESPN+.
