INDIANAPOLIS — If there was any rust, the IUPUI Women’s basketball team proved that rest prevails in a 71-54 win over Cleveland State on Monday afternoon at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in the Horizon League Championship semifinals.
“There was a question of rest vs. rust,” IUPUI coach Austin Parkinson said. “The rest was good for us. We didn’t shoot the ball very well the last three or four games of the regular season, so for us to have a nice break was a real positive.”
The Jags had not played since Feb. 28 after receiving the double-bye in the tourney, while the Vikings had to defeat Youngstown State and Wright State in the Horizon League tournament to advance to the semifinals in Indianapolis. IUPUI connected on 45% of their shots in the win, including an 8-of-17 mark from beyond the 3-point line.
Fountain Central grad and two-time Horizon League Player of the Year Macee Williams was held to a single field goal in the first half, but she had seven rebounds and dished out five assists, while the Jags led 31-20 at the break.
“I feel like they kind of changed up their defense,” the junior said. “They were playing me more one-on-one in the second half, so I took my time to see if there was a double-team, and if there wasn’t I could always make a post move.”
Williams connected on 5-of-6 shots in the second half.
Cleveland State led 16-15 after a quarter, but IUPUI outscored the Vikings 16-4 in the second quarter, and cruised in the second half to its 22nd win of the season.
The win puts the Jags in the Horizon League championship game on Tuesday at 12 p.m. IUPUI is looking for its first NCAA tournament berth in the program’s Division I era, and have played in the WNIT each of the last four seasons. The Jags, with North Montgomery graduate Kelsi Byrd, lost to Western Illinois 77-69 in overtime in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 2017 in the Summit League Championship.
“There’s no bones about it, I hated going to Sioux Falls,” Parkinson said. “The thing here, and it’s great to be home, but I just think Indianapolis puts on events better than about anywhere in the country when it comes to sports, and the coliseum I think is special.”
“This time of year you need a little luck, but you have to keep putting yourself in position. I told the kids we are not consumed about winning a championship tomorrow, we are not consumed about cutting down the nets, we are consumed about doing things the right way.”
Williams is excited about not only the opportunity to win the title in Indianapolis, but the chance to do it in her own backyard.
“I think it’s a sweet feeling knowing that we are at home,” she said. “Having the big fan base and I think it will be a bittersweet moment.”
The game, starting at Noon, will be aired on ESPNU.
