The University of Indianapolis women’s basketball team fell to Great Lakes Valley Conference opponent Truman State University on Feb. 6. The Bulldogs topped the Hounds 53-46.
UIndy had four players contribute points in the loss. Senior guard Princess German had a game-high, and career-high, 32 points. German accounted for over half of UIndy’s points. Junior forward Nicole Anderson and sophomore guard Sarah Costello had five points apiece. Rounding out the last four points was sophomore guard Devin Ferguson.
The first quarter opened up with a 6-0 run from Truman State, but that was the largest lead they could get throughout the first quarter. In the first 10 minutes of play the Bulldogs had a 14-13 lead. At halftime the score was tied 21-21 after a German three-pointer.
The second half brought an 8-1 run for the Greyhounds, putting them up 29-27. Leading into the fourth quarter, UIndy was up 34-31.
UIndy was silent offensively in the fourth. The Bulldogs had a 10-0 run that put them ahead with just under a minute remaining. German hit two three pointers in the last 34 seconds, but it was not enough. Truman came out on top, 53-46.
On Feb. 4 the Greyhounds lost by one to the Quincy University Hawks in overtime on. Quincy, ranked No. 18, pulled out a 73-72 win in overtime.
Anderson led in scoring with 21 points, followed by German with 14 points, and Costello with 11 points. Sophomore forward Ashley Montanez had a game-high 10 rebounds.
While there were five ties and three lead changes in the first 10 minutes, the Hounds fell behind in the second quarter. Quincy scored 15 points before the Greyhound offense managed a three-pointer from Costello. UIndy scored five points before the half, bringing the score to 28-21 Hawks.
“We started behind … and it’s hard to run after people all the time,” said Head Women’s Basketball Coach Constantine Popa. “We didn’t manage the game. They [Quincy] came out with offensive rebounds. We went to the free-throw line, and we couldn’t make those, either. … When we play teams like we played tonight, they know how to finish games.”
The Hounds moved the scoreboard in the third quarter. With German, Montanez, Anderson and sophomore forward Emily Thomas, the Greyhounds moved into the fourth quarter with a 46-41 lead over the Hawks. Quincy came back again in the fourth with a 6-0 run that was halted by a layup from Anderson. The Greyhounds fought back with a 7-0 run ending with a three-pointer from Costello, which gave the Hounds a 53-47 lead with less than five minutes left in the game.
With just over a minute remaining, German drove another layup, putting the Greyhounds up 62-56. UIndy could not hold the lead, though, and Quincy netted a three to tie the game with 16 seconds left. In possession of the ball, German barely missed a three, moving the game into overtime.
The five-minute overtime opened with a 6-0 run from the Hawks followed by a three from Costello. A layup from Montanez nearly tied the game again, but that was followed by three turnovers and a missed shot, allowing Quincy to score four more points. With a minute remaining in overtime, the Hawks led 71-68. After two good free throws from the Hawks, the score stood at 73-69. To finish the game, sophomore guard Devin Ferguson hit a three-pointer at the buzzer, but it would not be enough to lift the Hounds over the Hawks.
“When it comes to us, we have to quit starting [from] behind,” German said. “It’s all about fighting harder and closing the game…. Rankings never mean anything to me. It’s about being smarter and taking care of the ball.”
Overall, the Hounds shot 46.2 percent from the floor, including nine three-pointers. Rebounds were 36-31 in favor of the Hounds, but UIndy also committed 21 turnovers that resulted in 28 points for Quincy.
UIndy will travel to Kansas City, Mo. to compete against Rockhurst University on Feb. 11 at 6:15 p.m.
