Box Score

INDIANAPOLIS-  UIndy junior Sydney Weinert poured in a personal-best 26 points to lead the Greyhound women's basketball (3-2) team to a 68-55 win against Northern Michigan Saturday night at Nicoson Hall.

Weinert shot 11-for-13 from the floor and a perfect 4-for-4 from the line in what became a career night for the IPFW transfer.  She also added six rebounds and six blocks – five of which came in the first half – while also taking a charge.

The contest was UIndy's second in as many days, as the Hounds cruised to a 73-54 win against Saginaw Valley State yesterday.  Saturday's situation proved much different, however, as the back-to-back games combined with a scrappy opponent in Northern Michigan made for a hard-fought win.

“I think it was good that we had to go through this type of game tonight and fight a lot more for than we did yesterday,” Head Coach Constantin Popa told WICR's Garrison King after the game.  “It was a plus that we were able to rest some of players yesterday and that was probably one of the advantages we had tonight and it obviously it paid off.

“It was a well played game and both teams fought hard and I'm really proud of the girls.”

Trailing 7-6 early, the Hounds ran off 10 straight points to take control.  The Wildcats went scoreless for eight-and-a-half minutes during the Greyhound run, with their top two post players, 6-foot-2 Brooke Coenen and 6-3 Courtney Lemon, each picking up two fouls in the process.

UIndy pushed the lead to 14 late in the first half and led by as much as 15 early in the second, but the Wildcats hung around.  NMU sank a couple 3-pointers on the UIndy 2-3 zone, helping the visitors creep within six points at the 12:25 mark.

With the margin still at six midway through the second, the Greyhounds managed a five-point play to regain the momentum.  Junior Kristin Turner drove the lane and got the hoop and the harm.  Though she missed the ensuring free throw, Nickole Gonser swooped in for the offensive rebound, and seconds later, sophomore Katy McIntosh drained a three to make it 51-40 Hounds.

NMU fought back to make it a two-possession game again when a lay-up from Wisconsin-Green Bay transfer Chelsea Lyons made it 57-51 with 4:34 left.  The Wildcats managed just more field goal the rest of the way, however, as UIndy pulled away with a game-ending 11-4 run.

Joining Weinert in double figures were Turner and McIntosh, with each adding 13 points.  Turner supplemented her line with a game-high seven assists and four steals.

Meanwhile, Lyons led the Wildcats with 16 points and Center Grove graduate Hillary Bowling amassed six steals.

UIndy continues its home stand with a pair of conference games next week.  The Hounds look to keep it rolling when they open GLVC play versus Bellarmine Thursday, Dec. 1 at Nicoson Hall.  The team then faces archrival Northern Kentucky Saturday, Dec. 3.  Both games are scheduled for 5:30 p.m.