INDIANA UNIVERSITY PURDUE UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS

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JAGUARS DEFEAT VALPARAISO, EQUALING THEIR BEST START IN MID-CONTINENT CONFERENCE

INDIANAPOLIS - The Jaguars begin a four-game road trip Saturday, with one player about to reach a milestone and another with a new school record.

In the team's latest victory, Junior Kelly Ely (Indianapolis/South Port) and Freshman Natalie Hendricks (Frankton, Ind./Frankton) hit seven free throws in the final 23 seconds as the Jaguars equaled their best start in Mid-Continent Conference play with a 77-70 victory over Valparaiso Monday at home.

In the Valparaiso game, the hot free throw shooting streak of IUPUI Junior guard Ameber Holle came to an end, but not before she set a new school record for consecutive free throws made in a single season: 25. She eclipsed the old mark of 19 set by Katie Murphy in the 1995-96 season. Holle's streak started in the second half of the game with Loyola on Dec. 28 and ended after she missed the second of two free throws in the first half of the game with Valparaiso on Jan. 8. On the season, Holle has connected on 60-of-71 free throws and leads the Mid-Continent Conference with a .845 free throw percentage.

Meanwhile, Agnie Watt, a senior guard, is closing in on her 1,000th point. She is only 12 points away, with 988 points. Watt has already set a personal career-high this year for assists in a season with 37. She is also averaging a career-high 4.1 rebounds a game and will set a career-high for rebounds in a season if she maintains this pace.

Free throws were all important in the win over Valparaiso.

Ely hit 5-of-6 free throws in an 11-second span and Hendricks added 2-of-2 as IUPUI broke away from a 70-all tie to win for the third time in the last four games.

The Jaguars (5-10 overall) are 3-1 in the Mid-Con, matching their conference start in 1998-99.

Ely hit 1-of-2 with 23 seconds left to put the Jaguars up 71-70. Following a steal by Amber Holle (Seymour, Ind./Seymour) and a subsequent foul on the Crusaders, Valparaiso coach Keith Freeman was ejected after being called for back-to-back technicals with :12 to play. Ely hit all four technical foul shots and Hendricks hit the two from the foul, putting the Jaguars up 77-70.

Ely finished with 19 points, including going 15-of-16 from the foul line to lead IUPUI's 81 percent (29-of-36) free throw effort. It was the third time in the past four games that the Jaguars have made at least 24 and attempted at least 33 free throws. Ely's 15 free throws made and 16 free throws attempted were the second-highest individual single-game totals in school history. Holle added 21 points, her highest point total in the past nine games.

Amy Frey (Indianapolis/Perry Meridian) added 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting while Tiffany Kyser (Indianapolis/Culver Girls Academy) had 12 in a game that included 16 lead changes and eight ties.

The two teams traded baskets and the lead until the score was knotted at 16 with 8:22 left in the opening half. A 6-0 mini IUPUI run that included two Holle free throws and two Frey layups gave the Jaguars a 22-16 lead with 6:18 to go. They rode that momentum into a 32-26 halftime lead.

A 19-6 Valparaiso run that covered 6:36 turned a six-point deficit into a 47-40 lead with 10:41 left. Kathryn Knoester scored eight of her 12 points during the run which was ignited by two Carie Wickham free throws.

Valpo led by eight, 61-53, with 4:54 to play, but Holle hit a layup and a 3-pointer to cap a 10-2 IUPUI run that tied the game at 63 with 2:18 to go.

Koselke scored a career-high 24 points off the bench to lead the Crusaders (3-12, 0-3). Knoester's 12 points also tied her career-high.

IUPUI begins a four-game road trip with a 4:30 p.m. game Saturday at Oakland. Valpo hosts Youngstown State at 7:35 p.m. on Jan. 15.

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