Women's basketball defeats IPFW 85-80

The first road game of the season proved to be a challenging one for the Hoosiers, but IU escaped with an 85-80 victory over the Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne Mastadons.

“Big win tonight against a very talented and veteran team,” IU Coach Curt Miller said.

The Mastodons had no answer for IU senior center Sasha Chaplin Monday night. Chaplin finished one point shy of tying her career high, scoring 21 points in addition to grabbing seven rebounds.

“I could’ve played her even longer, but we made some defensive adjustments at the end of the game,” Miller said. “But offensively she was huge inside.”

After earning Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week honors, Larryn Brooks continued her strong play.

She finished with a career-high 25 points while dishing out six assists and grabbing four rebounds. Brooks got to the free throw line often, going 13-15.

“Larryn Brooks took over the game in stretches for us,” Miller said.

Taylor Agler got the Hoosiers going early, contributing 11 points and seven rebounds one assist in the first seven minutes.

With 7:07 remaining in the first half, the Hoosiers’ lead was cut to 3 after being up by as many as 13 points. The Mastodons went on a 8-2 run to close the gap.

The Hoosiers never trailed in the game, but IPFW cut the deficit to two points with 36 seconds remaining in the game.

“We got to the foul line and held off a late run by IPFW,” Miller said.

IU shot 44.1 percent (15-34) in the first half. IPFW shot 46.7 percent (14-30) in the first half, but the Hoosiers held the Mastodons to 1-8 shooting from the perimeter.

Miller said there were a lot of first-year players playing in crunch time.

“Everybody was making plays, getting to the foul line,” he said.

For the second consecutive game, the Hoosiers improved their field goal percentage in the second half.

They shot 55 percent in the second half and 48 percent for the game.

IPFW senior guard Amanda Hyde picked up two fouls early in the first half but remained on the floor.

She led all scorers with 33 points on 60 percent (9-15) shooting from the field.

“Defensively, tough challenge tonight against a bunch of guards that can really penetrate you,” Miller said.

IU found the free throw line often, earning 29 points from the charity stripe. The Mastadons were perfect from the freethrow line, shooting 24-24.

“IPFW shot the ball tremendously from the foul line,” Miller said. “24 of 24 kept them in it.”

IU will be on the road again this Friday for its next game, when it takes on Indiana State at 7:05 p.m. in Terre Haute.

Follow women's basketball reporter Stuart Jackson on Twitter @Stuart_Jackson1.