INDIANAPOLIS – The UIndy women's basketball team fell in a back-and-forth 58-56 contest against Drury on Thursday. The game featured 10 lead changes, with the largest lead by either team being nine in the second quarter when the Greyhounds led, 18-9.
Patricia Chikamba set a career-high in points with 33, breaking her previous best of 26 which she had earlier this season against Walsh. She also added nine rebounds and two assists in 37 minutes played.
INS & OUTS
The night began with a slew of missed attempts by both teams, with the first bucket not coming until the seven-minute mark of the first quarter, but both teams quickly found their footing.
Both teams traded baskets early on, but the Hounds jumped out in front late in the first quarter with a 6-2 run led by three Chikamba layups to extend the Hounds lead to 13-9 at the end of the first.
The second quarter was much of the same for UIndy, with Chikamba scoring or assisting on all the Hounds points except for one.
Jaelynne Murray also got in on the action with all six of her points coming in the second quarter, keeping the Hounds lead at six, 28-22, as the teams headed to the half.
The second half was jam packed with scoring runs from both teams.
The Panthers used two quick threes to craft an 8-0 run, putting themselves in front 35-34 with 5:09 remaining in the third quarter, but the Hounds responded with a 10-2 run of their own to take the lead back, 46-39, after the third.
Sara Mendel, who led the way for Drury with 16 points, sparked an early 7-0 fourth-quarter run to tie the game at 46, setting up an exciting finish.
The Panthers jumped out in front by four with just over two minutes remaining, but were met with a Chikamba three just over a minute later to get UIndy within one, 55-54.
With eight seconds left, the Panthers got to the line for two shots, with Rhi Gibbons hitting 1-of-2 to give Drury a 58-56 lead, and the Hounds driving layup effort by Sanaa Thomas at the buzzer fell just short of the rim, securing the win for the Panthers.
INSIDE THE BOX
- Chikamba was the only player in double figures for UIndy, as she accounted for 33 of the team's 56 total points.
- The Hounds had a season high in field goal attempts with 64, their most in a game since last season's 66 shot attempts against Rockhurst on Feb. 24, 2024.
- UIndy managed 16 points off turnovers, compared to the Panthers' 11.
MORE NOTES
Dating back to the 2022-23 season, tonight's final marked the third time in the last five outings versus Drury with a margin of eight points or less.
UP NEXT
The Greyhounds will look to bounce back in their next GLVC home game against Southwest Baptist on Saturday Jan. 25, with tipoff set for 1 p.m.
