Box Score

INDIANAPOLIS – A depleted UIndy women's basketball team overcame a slow start Saturday to rout the visiting UW-Parkside Rangers, 74-42, in Nicoson Hall.

The 16th-ranked Greyhounds (18-4, 9-2 GLVC) were missing three regulars and had just eight active athletes dressed to play. Leading scorer Katy McIntosh and fellow starter Carly Lythjohan were sidelined along with the GLVC's leading shot-blocker, Eliza Wortman.

The missing pieces resulted in a jumbled and oftentimes stagnant Greyhound offense in the first half, where they connected on just 9 of their 26 attempts from the floor (35 percent).

"We had players in different positions, not what they were accustomed to," said Coach Constantin Popa. "We were a little hesitant and we didn't get the looks we wanted, so it took us a little bit."

Kirsten Gliesmann banked in a hook shot with 7:44 trim the Parkside lead to 20-19, but the Greyhounds would not hit another field goal for nearly seven minutes. Kelly Walter sank a three-pointer with just under a minute left to end the drought, pulling UIndy within five at the break, 29-24.

The Rangers (6-13, 2-9) led for most of the half, but as a team shot just 42 percent. Their halftime lead came in large part because sophomore Tara Knapstein single-handedly lit up the Greyhound defense. She finished the half with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including four 3-pointers.

"(Knapstein) really gave us trouble," Popa conceded. "At the half we knew we were going to have to make sure we know where she was on the floor. We made that adjustment, and I said, 'If anybody is going to beat us it won't be her.'"

The Greyhounds not only dialed up the defense on Knapstein in the second frame, holding her two just two points, they also turned in one of the best halves of the season offensively.

Parkside hit a layup out of the gate, making it 31-24, but UIndy scored the next 15 points, taking a 39-31 advantage by the 12-minute mark. The outburst was just the beginning of UIndy's comeback.

The Greyhounds went on to outscore the Rangers 50-13 in the second period, shooting 67 percent (14-21) from the floor while holding the opposition to just 19 percent (4-21). UIndy connected on 6 of 10 triples, compared to an 0-for-7 mark from Parkside. The 50-point half was especially significant coming against the Rangers, who allowed just 71 points per game entering Saturday.

For the second game in a row the Hounds looked to Walter to be their offensive catalyst. The junior guard, starting in McIntosh's place, sank five 3-pointers, finishing the game with 19 points to go along with three assists and two rebounds.

Senior Rose Savela, making her third start of the year, added 14 points, seven boards, a block and a steal in 29 minutes. Sophomore Princess German totaled 13 points, hitting 5-of-6 free throws, and senior guard Erin Murphy finished with 11 points and five assists

As impressive as their offensive output was, the Crimson and Grey defense caused fits for the Ranger offense. UIndy forced 21 turnovers, resulting in 25 points, and held a 23-2 edge in fast break points. The 13 second-half points for Parkside marked the second time this season UIndy held its opponent to 13 points in a half (Dec. 16 at Lincoln Memorial).

Junior Kirsten Gliesmann anchored the stout defense, finishing with nine rebounds, five steals and a block. Dajana Jovanovic added five points, six rebounds and a block working down in the post.  

"We really needed this game," said Popa. "Thursday was a double whammy, losing in triple overtime and losing one of our players (McIntosh). We understand that we still have a team; we've played together as a team all year so that's how we'll play no matter what kind of situation we might go through."

UIndy hits the road to face Maryville Thursday and Missouri-St. Louis Saturday.