Oakland falls short at IUPUI
INDIANAPOLIS – Another close game, another close loss.
That seems to be a growing trend this season for the Oakland University women’s basketball team.
Bethany Watterworth scored 23 points and tied the game in the second half, but the Oakland women’s basketball team lost, 64-61, to IUPUI on Monday at The Jungle. The Golden Grizzlies outscored IUPUI 35-29 in the second half.
“IUPUI took us out of our rhythm in the first half, but I think we made some good adjustments in the second half,” said Oakland head coach Beckie Francis. “Tonight we needed one more ball to bounce our way. I was encouraged by the play of our freshmen.”
Oakland (10-12, 6-7) erased a double-digit deficit in the second half and tied the game 58-58 on a basket by Watteroworth with 1:58 to play. Kerah Nelson scored to put IUPUI in front, but Sharise Calhoun cut the lead to 62-61. With 12.7 seconds left, OU forced a steal, but missed a jump shot to take the lead and couldn’t connect on a half-court shot at the buzzer.
Watterworth scored 17 of her points in the second half. Peyton Apsey scored a career-high nine points to equal Calhoun as the team’s second-leading scorer. Oakland shot 39.7 percent from the field.
Oakland overcame an early deficit to take a brief lead 18-17 in the first half. However, an 11-2 run by IUPUI (11-13, 6-6) separated the teams and OU trailed 35-26 at the break.
Nelson finished with a double-double of 25 points and 14 rebounds. Emily Phillips added 14 and Katie Comello scored 12 for the Jaguars, which shot 45 percent from the field.
Center Brittany Carnag missed both games of the road trip due to illness, but is expected to rejoin the team soon.
“I think that tonight our team did a better job of adjusting to the absence of Brittany Carnago ,” said Francis.
Oakland returns home to continue Summit League play against IPFW on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The game is a doubleheader with the OU men’s team playing before the women’s game.
Category: Campus Clips, Colleges / Other, Oakland University
