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INDIANAPOLIS- The UIndy women's basketball team earned a postseason win Sunday afternoon with a 84-56 triumph against visiting Bellarmine in the opening round of the 2012 Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament.  The win pencils the Greyhounds (18-9) into a quarterfinals match-up with third-seeded Drury Thursday.

In a solid all-around effort, the Hounds put a season-high 84 points on the board, while holding their opponents to under 60 points for the first time in six games.

“I'm very pleased with the way we played today,” said a proud Constanin Popa, UIndy's first-year head coach. “From the first second, we were really focused and we played really aggressive.  We followed the game plan and played really, really well together at both ends of the floor.”

Junior Kristin Turner led all scorers with 29 points, while sophomore Katy McIntosh added 22.  It marked just the third time this season two Hounds had at least 20 points.

“It was good to see the performances out of Turner and McIntosh,” said Popa, “but it was really a team effort.  If we don't set the screens for them; if we don't get the rebounds to get them the ball; if we don't do some of the little things, then they might not have had that offensive production, so it was a team effort and that's the bottom line.

“We played so well as a team.  We were really focused and we executed well.  We forced a lot of turnovers and took advantage of that stuff.  We were mentally in this game 100 percent.”

Though the Knights' only lead came at 9-7 early in the game, the majority of the first half was closely contested.  Bellarmine (13-14) closed to within four points with four-and-a-half minutes left in the half, but the Hounds finished the period on a 15-7 run to earn a 46-34 edge at the break.

The Greyhounds held their guests to just 22 second-half points, as no Knight scored more than five points after the break.

“After watching game tape on Bellarmine,” said Popa, “we went to a totally different approach defensively.  We stayed in man-to-man and did not play any zone.  We were really aggressive and did not switch on the screens and we denied the wings, which we've never done before.  I was really happy to see our players respond to (the change in plan) and honestly, they just embraced it.

“We looked so aggressive and that aggressiveness on defense translated to aggressiveness on offense.  We were able to create a lot of offense from our defense.  It was good to see that.”

In addition to their lofty point totals, Turner and McIntosh each had four assists.  Senior Megan Gardner hit a pair of threes and finished with eight points, four assists and five steals, while sophomore Chas Lecher recorded personal highs with nine rebounds and five blocks.

“Everybody that came on the floor was in it 100 percent,” explained Popa.  “We played 40 minutes, from the first second to the last second.  If we do that on a consistent basis from now on, especially now at tournament time, we should be able to do some damage.”

Sixth-seeded Maryville, eighth-seeded Kentucky Wesleyan and No. 12-seed Lewis also advanced today.  The eight remaining teams will be reseeded before Thursday's quarterfinal games in Springfield, Ill.  The Greyhounds will face Drury at 1 p.m. Eastern in the teams' first meeting of the year.

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