INDIANAPOLIS - Thanks to a nine-game win streak, the IUPUI Jaguars (14-5, 11-3 HL) have risen to No. 2 in Horizon League standings after sitting at No. 4 for several weeks. IUPUI's 82-64 victory over Cleveland State (13-4, 8-3 HL) dropped the latter to fourth, while Northern Kentucky (14-4, 8-3 HL) is currently ranked third. The Jaguars might be even higher in the standings were it not for two forfeit losses in mid-November, one of which came against Cleveland State.
 
Next, the Oakland Golden Grizzlies travel to the Jungle on Friday night, while the Detroit Mercy Titans visit on Sunday afternoon. After Sunday's matinee, IUPUI will embark on a four-game road trip with stops at Wright State, Northern Kentucky, Milwaukee and Green Bay.  
 
No opponent was able to conquer the Jungle in January as IUPUI got rolling. Macee Williams (17.7 PPG, 9.6 RPG) notched her seventh double-double of the season last Saturday, putting up 21 points and 16 boards against Cleveland State. Rachel Kent (11.4 PPG, 3.5 RPG) drained 6 of her 9 three-pointers for 18 points, and Rachel McLimore (12.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG) added 17 of her own. The Vikings' zone defense is ranked fifth in the conference (59.2 PPG allowed) but could not stop IUPUI from knocking down 13 long balls and shooting a collective 59.6 percent.
 
Also of note is Destiny Perkins' return to the starting lineup. Perkins came off the bench in IUPUI's January 27 win over Purdue Fort Wayne, having missed five games before that. Against Cleveland State, she played like the lead point guard Jaguar fans know well: scoring 12 points and dishing out a game-high six assists.
 
One possible X-factor for IUPUI is the long-term health of Natalie Andersen. The junior guard hurt her left shoulder against Purdue Fort Wayne but played through it against Cleveland State, where she contributed two points, one board, one assist and one steal. Andersen averaged 14.3 PPG in the three games before her injury, and if she can return to form, Jaguar opponents will have another key weapon to account for.
 
Meanwhile, Oakland (10-9, 8-4 HL) is fifth in Horizon League standings but recently pulled off a 56-52 comeback win over top-ranked Youngstown State (18-3, 12-2 HL). Junior guard Brianna Breedy (5.7 PPG) scored seven of her 14 in the second half of that matchup as her Golden Grizzlies held the Penguins to just 10 fourth-quarter points. Breedy is fifth in season scoring average among a group led by seniors Kahlaijah Dean (16.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG) and Kayla Luchenbach (8.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG).
 
IUPUI takes on Oakland Friday at 7 PM ET.
 
There's no way around it: Detroit Mercy (0-20, 0-13 HL) has had an extremely frustrating season. Currently the Horizon League's only winless team, they last played Robert Morris (9-10, 7-7 HL) in a 68-56 defeat. Graduate student Sydney Searcy leads the Titans with 10.5 PPG, and sophomore forward Irene Murua from Arrasate, Spain is their top glass cleaner with 6.2 RPG to go with 7.9 PPG. Although Detroit Mercy is a bottom-three unit in most major statistical categories, the Jaguars know better than to overlook an opponent.
 
"Anyone can beat anyone on any given day," said graduate student Madison Wise (6.9 PPG, 5.3 RPG). "If you don't show up ready to play, you could get beat. You never know."
 
Detroit Mercy visits the Jungle Sunday at 3 PM ET. Both games this week are on ESPN+.