HAMMOND, Ind. – The UIndy women's basketball team got the monkey off its back on Thursday evening, securing the first win of the season with a gritty 62-61 win at in-region Purdue Northwest.
 
Jama Sharp picked up her first win as head coach of the Greyhounds behind Patricia Chikamba's career-high 23 points.
 
Chikamba recorded her fourth career double-double, adding 14 rebounds to her point total.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Autumn Rucker provided the final points with 13 seconds, finishing with eight in the win. Chikamba set up the game-winner with a steal in the front court, her lone theft of the night. The UIndy defense was solid all night long, but flexed its muscles in the final 18 seconds for the game's final stop. 
 
Chikamba and Ruby Garner were the only Hounds with field goals in the final frame, the former hitting a layup at the 8:25 mark. UIndy went 4 of 6 from the free throw line in the last three-plus minutes to help seal the win.
 
It was back-and-forth all evening, as the teams exchanged the lead eight times and were tied on three occasions. UIndy jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead in the first 29 seconds, with Garner and Kylah Lawson tacking on early points for the visitors.
 
The Greyhounds clung to a 51-46 lead after the third quarter, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Elana Wells. The senior chipped in nine points and four assists in nearly 30 minutes off the bench.
 
INSIDE THE BOX
- Garner swiped four of the team's 11 steals, while seven Greyhounds tallied at least one.
- UIndy turned the ball over just 13 times averaging 26 turnovers in the first two games.
- Lawson swatted a pair of Pride shots on Thursday, upping her total to three on the young season.
- Despite limited playing time due to foul trouble, Halie Gilbert was an impressive +10 off the bench.
 
MORE NOTES
UIndy improves its all-time series lead to 4-2 … reigning GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week Akyia Baker finished with nine points and five rebounds.

HOUND BYTES
Sharp on what it means to earn her first win...
"It means everything. You know, they didn't make it easy on me by any means. But you know, it's hard. It's hard. All these are hard, especially on the road. They're a really good team, and we had to grit it out. We had to battle it out and fight it out. So it means a lot. I'm excited for our kids, though, to finally see some stuff we've been working on to go right for them."

Sharp on the definition of grit...
"It means this: when you're when you're up by one point, they have the ball on their end on their home court, and you got to play defense for 18 seconds and the ball goes out of bounds. Now you got to play it for four more seconds. That's gritty. . You're fighting until the end every play. You're not taking one off. And I think we were gritty tonight."
 
UP NEXT
The Greyhounds hit the road for a Sunday battle at Ohio Dominican. Tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio.