Titans Return From Holiday Break With 64-56 Win

Katie Hacker (Indianapolis, IN/Franklin Central) scored a game-high 19 points and pulled down nine rebounds and Kimmie Hummer chipped in with a dozen points as IU South Bend (9-3) returned from a 23-day layoff with a 64-56 win over UM-Dearborn.


At the start, Hummer broke the seal on the scoring, registering the first basket of the game just 30 seconds into the contest. The Wolves, however, answered immediately with a Katie Roberts triple to take the early 3-2 lead.


Over the next eight minutes, the two teams traded baskets before UM-Dearborn grabbed a two point lead at 15-13 - their largest lead of the contest. Staci Funkhouser (McCordsville, IN/Mount Vernon) hit a baseline jumper to tie the contest at 15, the start of a 10-2 spurt for the Titans that gave them a six point lead with 5:29 remaining in the opening half. From there, the teams once again traded blows until the break - with the Wolves coming within a single point on several occasions, but it was the Titans who held a 30-27 edge at the half.


Out of the half, IU South Bend immediately opened their lead to six, and would eventually lead by as many as eight with 12:37 to play. Once again, however, UM-Dearborn had an answer as they slowly climbed back into the contest, tying the game at 50 with just 5:27 to play and again at 54 with 3:03 left.


>From there, it was all Titans, as back-to-back baskets by Hacker and Betsy Grogan (Battle Ground, IN/West Lafayette Harrison) gave IU South Bend a four-point lead, and the team converted on six-of-eight from the free throw line down the stretch to ice the win.


Hacker's nine rebounds give her 732 for her career, moving her into sole possession of fifth place all-time for the Titans