KOKOMO, Ind. - The Indiana University Kokomo women's basketball team returned to the win column Friday afternoon, winning their Purple & Gold Tournament opener 68-52 over Great Lakes Christian College.

FAST FACTS

• LOCATION: Karl H. Weaner Center | Defiance, OH 
• UPDATED RECORDS: Great Lakes Christian - 2-7 (0-0), IU Kokomo - 2-2 (0-0)
• NAIA TOP-25 RANKINGS: Great Lakes Christian - N/A, IU Kokomo - N/A

THE RUNDOWN 

• IU Kokomo built a 13-point lead after the first quarter, fueled by their most productive offensive stretch of the night. The Cougars scored 21 points on 44% shooting to take a 21-8 advantage through 10 minutes.
• Great Lakes Christian responded strongly in the second quarter, outscoring IU Kokomo 19-12 to trim the Cougars' 13-point lead to just six at halftime.
• The Cougars regained a double-digit lead in the third quarter, stretching it to 10 points with 4:07 remaining. IU Kokomo's advantage grew to as many as 14, as second-year head coach Lisa Pflueger's squad led 49-39 after three quarters.
• Great Lakes Christian trimmed the lead to eight with the first basket of the fourth quarter but never mounted a serious challenge, as the Cougars comfortably closed out a 68-52 neutral-site victory over the Crusaders.

LEADING THE CHARGE

• Senior forward Mia Catey recorded her second double-double of the young season Friday afternoon, leading IU Kokomo with a game-high 18 points, 13 rebounds, and four assists.
• Fellow senior forward Moriah Crawford added 12 points and seven rebounds, turning in another strong performance.
• Freshman Jacie Rollison finished with a career-high nine points in just 12 minutes of action, doing so with impressive efficiency.
• Mackenzie York had a well-rounded performance in the win, contributing six points, seven assists, and eight rebounds.

INSIDE THE HUDDLE

• "The team started off strong and was effective in transition. We played hard for the full 40 minutes and we came together to make some adjustments in second half that were key to seal the win. Proud of our team's effort!" - Head Coach Lisa Pflueger

THE ROAD AHEAD

• Next Game: 11/22 vs Grace Christian (at Defiance) - 3:00 PM ET
• Next Home Game: 11/25 vs Bethel (Ind.) - 5:00 PM

For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.