INDIANAPOLIS – It took the basketball equivalent of a goal line stand, but the Greyhound women's basketball team was able to improve to 2-0 for the first time in since the 2012-13 campaign on Sunday night.
 
Junior Martha Burse had a team-leading 18 points, including the game-winning free throw with 13 seconds to go. The UIndy defense made one last defensive took over from there, making one last stand to preserve a 57-56 win over Walsh in the finale of the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge.
 
"It was a major character win because we led, then we fell behind and it really tested our kids," Head coach Kristin Drabyn said after the game. "To their credit, they fought back and they answered in a big way and I was really happy not only with the win, but how we responded to a challenge."
 
Buckets were tough to come by for both sides early on. UIndy held Walsh to just 1-for-14 shooting in the opening six minutes of the game and led 12-9 at the end of one quarter. Burse finished the opening 10 minutes with 8 points while the Greyhound defense held Walsh to just 10.5 percent (2-for-19) from the floor in the opening frame.
 
Back-to-back threes from Sarah Costello and Devin Ferguson put the Hounds up 20-14 midway through the second quarter. It was the start of a 12-1 run that saw the Hounds hold Walsh without a field goal for 6:24 to stretch the lead to 26-15 with two minutes left in the first half. Walsh closed out the half on a 9-3 run to cut the UIndy lead to 29-24 at the break.
 
UIndy held Walsh to 18.2 percent (6-for-33) shooting in the opening frame, but the Cavs knocked down 14-of-16 free throws in the opening 20 minutes to stay within striking distance.
 
After a Costello triple made it 33-24 Hounds early in the third quarter, the Cavaliers' offense came to life and went on a 14-0 run to take a 38-33 lead with 2:39 to play in the frame. But the Hounds' character was on display as the clock ticked down in the third and after Jordan Cole tied the game with a three, Burse put the Hounds up 42-40 with a buzzer-beating layup at the end of the period.
 
Walsh opened the fourth quarter scoring with a three but Burse answered with three unanswered buckets to put UIndy in front 46-43 with eight minutes left. The seesaw battle continued with back-to-back Walsh threes, the second from Brooklyn Wooten that made it 49-46 Cavs with 6:44 to play.
 
A quick 7-0 UIndy run put the Hounds back on top, setting the stage for a dramatic final minute of play.  With the Hounds down 54-53, Burse converted a three-point play to put UIndy up by a pair. Walsh answered on the next trip down the floor when Wooten knocked down a tough, contested layup.
 
Burse countered by drawing a foul with 13 seconds to play and hitting one-of-two free throws to put the Hounds up one. Walsh had an open look to take the lead late, but Sydney Brackemyre rejected Jill Blackstein's three-point bid with three seconds to go. Blackstein had one last look at the game-winning bucket, but her jumper at the horn hit the side of the backboard and the Greyhound bench poured out onto the court to celebrate the win.
 
Brackemyre recorded her second straight double-double, finishing with 14 points and 10 boards while adding four blocks and a pair of assists. Costello also finished with double-figures for the second straight game, pouring in 14 points and knocking down a team-high four three-pointers.
 
UIndy connected on 38.2 percent (21-for-55) of their field goals, knocking down 9-of-22 three point attempts. Walsh shot just 23.4 percent (15-for-64) from the floor and 18.5 percent (5-for-27) from long range, but the Cavs went 21-for-24 from the free throw line on the night, allowing them to stay in the game. Wooten finished with a game-high 27 points and 11 boards for Walsh.
 
The Greyhounds will be on the road for each of their next seven contests, starting this coming Wednesday with another in-region tilt against Tiffin University. Tip-off from the Gillmor Student Center is set for 5:30 p.m.