SPRINGFIELD, Ill – The UIndy women's basketball team began the 2026 calendar year with a 60-50 road loss to Illinois Springfield.

The Greyhounds held a 20 point lead and jumped out to an early 26-7 lead after the first quarter. 26 points are the most first quarter points scored by the Greyhounds since 2023 when the Greyhounds put up 28 first quarter points in a 98-87 win over St. Mary-of-the-Woods.

Autumn Rucker, Graycie Poe and Patricia Chikamba all reached double figures in tonight's contest. Rucker's 11 points tonight marks the ninth game this season that she has notched double digit points in a game.

INS & OUTS
UIndy came out on fire tonight, starting the game on a 14-2 run led by six points from Poe and four from Rucker. The Greyhounds shot a stellar 10-17 (58.8%) from the field in the first quarter while connecting on three triples to vault out to a 19 point lead after the first quarter.

Coming out of halftime with a 16 point lead, the Greyhounds were able to extend its lead to 20 with eight minutes to go in the third quarter. But the Prairie Stars countered the Hounds' lead with a 38-3 run that stretched across the third and fourth quarter to give them a 15 point lead with just over one minute remaining. Chikamba was the lone Greyhound to score over the 16 minute plus scoring run, compared to the Prairie Stars' nine scorers.

UIndy made a late push to chip into the lead with five points from Halie Gilbert, but Illinois Springfield staved off the Greyhounds for a 10 point win.

INSIDE THE BOX
- The Greyhounds coughed the ball up 34 times, its most in a single game since 2000.
- Chikamba went a perfect 5-5 from the field, her first perfect shooting performance of the 2025-26 season.
- Gilbert gathered in nine boards along with her nine points, eclipsing her previous season high in rebounds of five against Ashland.

UP NEXT
UIndy will remain on the road for its second game of a GLVC doubleheader weekend on Sunday Jan. 4 against McKendree with tip off set for 2 p.m.