HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The No. 7 seeded IU Indy women's basketball team opened Horizon League Tournament play in thrilling fashion on Tuesday night (March 4), knocking off No. 4 Northern Kentucky, 74-72, inside Truist Arena. With the win, the Jaguars advance to the second round of the tourney.
 
IU Indy will now return home to Indianapolis for the second-round contest on Sunday, March 8 at 1:00 PM inside the Corteva Coliseum.
 
"Winning a conference tournament game on the road is never easy," said Head Coach Kate Bruce. "Our team showed toughness, discipline, and trust in each other when it mattered most. I'm incredibly proud of how we competed for 40 minutes."
 
The Jaguars shot an efficient 52.7 percent (29-of-55) from the floor and poured in 50 points in the paint, overcoming nine lead changes and seven ties to secure the two-point victory.
 
IU Indy battled through a tight opening frame that featured multiple momentum swings. After trailing early, the Jaguars used interior scoring and a pair of threes from Nevaeh Foster to grab a five-point edge midway through the quarter. Northern Kentucky closed on a late three-pointer to take an 18-17 lead after one.
 
The Norse extended their advantage in the second period, limiting IU Indy to ten points in the frame. Despite strong work on the glass and paint touches, the Jaguars went scoreless from three-point range in the quarter and entered halftime trailing 31-27.
 
IU Indy flipped the script coming out of the locker room. The Jaguars erupted for 26 third-quarter points, shooting a blistering 11-of-16 (68.8 percent) from the field in the stanza. Olivia Smith and Hailey Smith fueled a fastbreak surge, while Foster added another key triple as IU Indy carried a 53-53 tie into the final quarter.
 
In a back-and-forth final 10 minutes, IU Indy made winning plays down the stretch. The Jaguars shot 66.7 percent (8-of-12) in the fourth, reclaiming the lead on a series of transition buckets and defensive stops. Clinging to a one-point advantage in the final seconds, Julia Hall knocked down a free throw with nine seconds remaining to make it a two-point game. IU Indy secured the final defensive stand to secure their spot in the next round.
 
Olivia Smith led the Jaguars with 20 points on an efficient 8-of-11 shooting night, adding five rebounds, two assists and a block. Hailey Smith added 16 points and a team-high nine rebounds, helping control the paint on both ends while contributing four steals. Nevaeh Foster chipped in 13 points, connecting on all three of IU Indy's made three-pointers and shooting 4-of-6 overall. Destini Craig and Julia Hall each finished with 10 points, with Hall delivering the late free throw that helped seal the tournament victory.
 
IU Indy forced 12 Northern Kentucky turnovers, turning defensive pressure into 23 fastbreak points in the upset win.
 
With the opening-round victory secured, the Jaguars now turn their focus to Sunday's second-round matchup at Corteva Coliseum. The Jags face No. 5 Purdue Fort Wayne at 1:00 PM.