Mastodons Slip Past Oakland 57-55

Saturday, January 26

Fort Wayne, Ind.

4:30 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

7-13, 3-5SL

Oakland

8-12, 2-6SL

OAKLAND

IPFW

Photo by: Lucas Carter

1/26/2013 7:12:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Box Score

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Erin Murphy scored a layup with 17 seconds remaining to give IPFW a one point lead and the junior added a free throw after being fouled which led to IPFW knocking off Oakland 57-55 at the Gates Sports Center.

Murphy scored 11 points on Saturday afternoon, but none were bigger than the three-point play that sealed the win for IPFW. Amanda Hyde and Stefanie Mauk also reached a double-figure scoring total as Hyde led all players with 17 and Mauk hit two triples in the second half to end the game with 13.

Hyde shot 6-for-12 from the field and added two 3-point field goals with three free throws. She impacted the game in multiple ways adding five rebounds, four assists and a steal in 39 minutes of action.

Courtney Ogle was a spark off the bench for IPFW as she knocked down a 3-pointer, grabbed three rebounds and also recorded a career-high two blocks in 14 minutes.

Elena Popkey and Zakiya Minifee led Oakland on Saturday as Popkey poured in 15 points to go with two assists and two steals. Minifee scored 10 points and grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.

IPFW got off to a slow start against Oakland as the Golden Grizzlies jumped out to an 11-3 lead. Amanda Hyde found her shot and helped IPFW climb back into the game, and a 3-point field goal from Rachel Mauk would tie the contest at 12-12.

Haley Seibert followed with a 3-point field to give IPFW a 15-12 edge and her second triple of the first half gave the Mastodons a 22-18 lead at the half. Seibert led all players with eight points at the break. She also chipped in with four rebounds and two steals in 17 minutes of action.

The Mastodons came out flat in the beginning of the second half as Oakland went on a 7-0 run to grab a three point lead. Ogle entered the game soon after and fired up a three-pointer that tied the game at 25-25.

Oakland's run would continue on as the Golden Grizzlies would jump out to a 12 point lead with 10 minutes remaining. Hyde once again led the charge for IPFW in the comeback as she scored four straight points after a layup from Minifee. Hyde went on to cut the lead down to five after connecting on a pair of free throws that came after an Oakland technical foul.

The Golden Grizzlies kept a two possession margin for much of the second half, but it was Hyde again that struck with a 3-point field goal with 4:45 to play that cut the lead down to four points.

Stefanie Mauk then got into the action with a layup followed by a 3-point field goal that cut the lead down to one. Minifee would come back with a layup to cushion the Oakland lead, but Mauk would not be denied as her old fashioned three point play tied the game at 50-50 after the Oakland bucket.

The final two minutes were electric at the Gates Sports Center as Popkey fired a 3-pointer with 2:13 left to regain the lead for Oakland. Murphy made one of two free throws the following possession and a missed jumper by Popkey got the ball back to IPFW.

One of the biggest shots of the day came from Amanda Hyde with under one minute to play as the junior launched a 3-pointer from the top of the key with her team trailing by two. The shot was nothing but net as she gave the Mastodons the lead with 54 seconds remaining.

Oakland made a push to win with a layup from Elizabeth Hamlet with 31 seconds to play, but it would not be enough as Murphy came up clutch to seal the win for IPFW.

The Mastodons are now 7-13 overall with a 3-5 record in Summit League play. The team will return to action with a game on Thursday, Jan. 31 vs. Omaha at 7 p.m.

~ Feel the Rumble ~