INDIANAPOLIS - It was a tough hill to climb for the Trine University women's basketball team as they faced off against Division I IUPUI in their final non-conference game of the season as the Thunder fell 79-24 to the Jaguars. The loss drops the Thunder to 8-5 on the year.

The Thunder scored the first basket of the game, just 20 seconds in, as junior Sydney Spragg (Reading, Mich./Reading) nailed a jumper from in the paint. That would be Trine's only lead of the game as the Jaguars scored 10 unanswered points. Junior Haley Killingbeck (Poneto, Ind./Southern Wells) stopped the drought as she scored a layup, as Trine trailed by just eight. That would be as close as it would be as the Jaguars would go on a 36-0 surge to lead 48-4 with four minutes remaining in the first half. Junior Aleesha Bullock (Indianapolis, Ind./Ritter) banked in trey with the shot clock winding down at the 3:51 mark to end the run, before an 8-0 Jaguar spurt in the final 2:33 sent IUPUI into the locker room leading 56-7. Turnovers played a big role in the half for the Thunder as they committed 17 turnovers, as IUPUI turned them into 29 points.

The second half started just as bumpy with IUPUI out-scoring the Thunder 9-3 over the first six minutes. Trine was able to keep pace with the Jaguars the rest of the way as each team scored 14 points over the final 14 minutes of the game.

Trine was led by senior Danielle Senf (Blanchardville, Wis./Pecatonica) scoring eight points while also having a team-high three assists and two steals. Killingbeck and Spragg each added in six points apiece. Junior Megan Loveberry (Quincy, Mich./Quincy) led the Thunder with four rebounds.

IUPUI had four players in double-digits, led by Kerah Nelson with 20 points.

IUPUI connected on 71.9 percent (23-of-32) of its shots in the opening half, before the Thunder defense kicked into gear in the second half holding them to just 31.8 percent (7-of-22). Trine made a season-low 10 field goals while also shooting a season-low 20.4 percent (10-of-49) from the floor.

Trine will return to MIAA play when they host Adrian College on January 7 for a 1:00 p.m. tip.