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ASHLAND, Ohio – The UIndy women's basketball team (19-10) suffered a terminal loss Friday, dropping a 70-56 decision to Ashland in the first-round of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional.  The Greyhounds matched the host and second-ranked Eagles point-for-point in the second half, but UIndy could not overcome a 14-point halftime deficit.

Making their second straight NCAA appearance and fifth in the last sixth years, the Greyhounds were led in scoring by Kristin Turner, who totaled 17 points to go with six assists.  Junior Dajana Jovanovic scored 10 points as the only other Hound in double figures.

Two Eagles finished with double-doubles, including senior Kari Daughtery (31 pts, 14 rebs) and senior Daiva Gerbec (14 pts, 14 rebs).

UIndy finishes with 19 wins for the second consecutive year while setting a new single-season program record for blocked shots (182).  Meanwhile, the defending Midwest-champion Eagles (32-1) advance to Saturday's regional semifinals to face the winner of tonight's Michigan Tech/Kentucky Wesleyan contest.

Ashland went to its All-American candidate early, as Daughtery accounted for the home team's first seven points to force an early UIndy timeout.  Later, the Hounds fought back with back-to-back 3-pointers from Turner to trim the lead to two, but the Eagles answered with a 15-2 run to seize the momentum.

The Eagles' advantage settled at 14 at the break.  Daughtery and Turner each put up 12 points in the first 20 minutes.

After shooting 53 percent from the field in the first half, Ashland was limited to just 41-percent shooting in the second.  UIndy got as close as 10 when Shelby Wall nailed a triple with 11 minutes left, but the Hounds followed with six consecutive empty possessions and were never able to cut it to single digits.

One glaring statistical imbalance Friday came in the rebounding category, as the Eagles out-tallied their guests 48-34 on the glass.  As a result, Ashland recycled 14 second-chance points compared to UIndy's one.

The evening marked the final collegiate contest for seniors Sydney Weinert and Turner.  Turner finished her three-year career at UIndy 12th in the school's annals in career points (1,275).  Weinert compiled 108 blocks in just 44 games in a Greyhound uniform, good for the fourth-highest total all-time at the school.


Notes:  Ashland has compiled a combined 65-3 record over the past two seasons and has lost just one game since falling in overtime in the 2012 national championship game.  Its lone loss this season came at Findlay – the regional's third-seeded squad – on Feb. 14 during Daughtery's eight-game stint on the injured list ... Friday's final was nearly identical to the 70-54 final score between UIndy and Ashland Dec. 14.

NCAA DII MIDWEST REGIONAL
Friday's quarterfinal results
(6) Wayne State 63, (3) Findlay 58
(7) Wisconsin-Parkside 59, (2) Lewis 49
(1) Ashland 70, (8) UIndy 56
(4) Michigan Tech 79, (5) Kentucky Wesleyan 67

Saturday's semifinals
(7) Wisconsin-Parkside vs. (6) Wayne State, 5 p.m.
(4) Michigan Tech vs. (1) Ashland, 7:30 p.m.