A dramatic double-overtime defeat: Purdue Northwest edges UIndy 84-77 in a back-and-forth thriller
HAMMOND, IN — The Greyhounds and Pride traded blows in a high-stakes showdown that stretched into double overtime, featuring 20 ties and 16 lead changes, with Purdue Northwest emerging victorious 84-77.
This matchup marked a familiar milestone for UIndy: the last time the Greyhounds reached at least double overtime against Purdue Northwest was in 2021, a game that went to triple overtime before a winner was decided.
Autumn Rucker and Patricia Chikamba carried the scoring load for UIndy, each sinking eight field goals and finishing with 23 and 24 points, respectively. Rucker’s 23 points surpass her previous career best of 18, set earlier this season against Ursuline.
How the game unfolded
The Hounds jumped ahead 17-15 after the first quarter and preserved the advantage with staunch defense, pushing the lead to seven before halftime. Purdue Northwest went scoreless over the final 5:49 of the second period, while UIndy used an 8-0 burst, sparked by Graycie Poe and Ruby Garner from beyond the arc.
The Pride chipped away throughout the third, trimming the deficit to four entering the final quarter, setting up a dramatic finish.
With 2:56 left in regulation, UIndy nudged its lead back to six points as Rucker accounted for 11 of her 23 in the fourth. NWU rattled off a 10-4 run to end regulation, capped by Riley Milausnic’s 3-pointer with 36 seconds remaining to knot the score at 62 and force overtime.
Rucker had a late opportunity to clinch the win in regulation, but the shot missed, sending the game to an extra period.
First overtime produced a momentum shift: NWU opened with a 9-0 burst to lead by seven with 2:45 left, only for UIndy to answer with a 7-0 run to tie the game at 71 with 39 seconds to go, thanks to key scores from Sapenter, Chikamba, and Rucker. Both teams failed to convert in the final seconds, pushing the game to a second overtime.
In double overtime, Kylah Lawson gave UIndy an early 73-71 edge, but the Pride answered with a perfect 4-for-4 shooting stretch and closed the game on a 13-4 run over the final 3:50, sealing the win 84-77.
Inside the box score
- Garner made her first start of the season for the Greyhounds, posting seven points and seven rebounds in 30 minutes.
- Sapenter logged a career-high 45 minutes, the most by a Greyhound since Taylor Drury played 46 minutes in 2018 against Grand Valley State.
- Chikamba went 8-for-8 at the free-throw line, marking her first perfect performance from the stripe on at least eight attempts.
- UIndy bench production totaled 21 points, while holding NWU to just two bench points.
Up next
The Greyhounds return home seeking their first win of the season, with two chances this week: Tuesday, December 16 against Findlay, and Thursday, December 18 versus Ohio Dominican.
But here’s where it gets controversial: does this close loss reveal that UIndy is closer to breaking through than the final score suggests, or does it expose lingering durability concerns late in tight games? Share your take in the comments: should the Hounds be encouraged by the near-miss in double overtime, or left questioning what adjustments will turn these close contests into wins?
