INDIANAPOLIS – After picking up their first win at home of the 2018-19 season, the UIndy women's basketball team was back in action in Nicoson Hall Sunday afternoon. The Greyhounds hosted the Grand Valley State Lakers who were coming off a loss last Friday at the hands of Lewis. The Hounds and Lakers played a contested game Sunday afternoon, with Grand Valley coming out on top 80-71.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The game did not get off to a great start for either team in the first quarter. The Hounds started off the game shooting just 25% from the field on three-of-12 shooting. The Lakers were even worse from the floor, shooting just over 16% from the field of two-of-12 shooting, but making it to the foul line eight times and sinking all eight of their attempts gave GVSU the advantage in the first, leading by six at the end of the first frame.
 
Shooting picked up for both teams in the second quarter, UIndy still shooting better from the field. Grand Valley led by as much as seven in the second quarter, but Taylor Dillard came off the bench sparked the UIndy offense and Claire Carlton brought some extra defense off the bench for the Hounds to mask the Lakers offense. UIndy went to work in the paint with Dillard, Laura Thomas, and Emma Benoit sinking layups to chip away at the GVSU lead. Dillard hit a three-point jumper with less than a minute to go in the half, tying the game at 27 before the break.
 
The Hounds came out of the half and showed that their shooting woes in the first quarter were nothing but a fluke. The Hounds continued their work in the paint but added the mid-range games and the long-ball to their repertoire. Shooting over 69% from the field in the quarter, the Hounds took the lead with about four minutes to go in the quarter and did not look back. Taylor Drury nailed all three of the team's threes in the quarter. Heading in to the game's final ten minutes, the Hounds had No. 13 Grand Valley on the ropes.
 
The Lakers did not fold, GVSU started the quarter on a 7-0 run to tie the game with six and a half minutes to go. Neither team was going to quit, and we had a dog fight in Nicoson Hall. The Hounds had a four point lead with two minutes to go, the Lakers tied the game at 56 with a minute to go before forcing a UIndy turnover, GVSU had the ball with 42 seconds left. The Hounds held them, got a look at the final shot, but came up empty and we went to overtime.
 
The Hounds hit a pair of three's in the first overtime period, but anything UIndy did the Lakers matched it. The Hounds and Lakers each scored eight points in the extra period, the game needed another overtime. The second overtime saw Grand Valley go to work on the inside. The Lakers made layups and got to the foul line, eventually took an eight-point lead. The Hounds did not give up. Drury hit a couple free throws and a three to bring the Hounds back within three with less than a minute to go. The Hounds started fouling the Lakers in the front court and GVSU started pulling away before winning by a final score of 80-71.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-The Lakers out-shot the Greyhounds from the field by .1%, it is the first game all season that UIndy's opponent shot better from the field than the Greyhounds.
-Taylor Dillard provided a spark off the bench for the Hounds, finishing with 12 points on three-of-five shooting while going five-of-seven from the line. The last UIndy player to score double digits off the bench for UIndy in a game was Erin Wood last season when she scored 10 against Parkside (2/24).
-Claire Carlton finished with 12 rebounds, beating her previous career-best of 11 last season against Parkside (2/15).
 
HOUND BYTES
Head coach Kristin Wodrich on the double-overtime loss, "I am proud of my kids, they fought and they battled to double overtime against a top-20 team in the country. I am extremely proud of their effort tonight."
 
Wodrich on the being held to six points in the fourth quarter, "they defended, they did a really nice job, we rebounded really well and we had 13 offensive boards. I was really proud of their efforts on the board, they did a really nice job. Cassidy Boensch had 25 points against us but she had to earn every single one of those points.
 
Wodrich on freshman Taylor Dillard's performance off the bench, "she did what she does well. She was more patient today, she ran the offense well, and she got downhill which was awesome. She got to the foul line and she did really well for us off the bench."
 
UP NEXT
UIndy hosts Lake Superior State this Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m. in Nicoson Hall.