March 13, 2009 – A 3-point basket by Indianapolis guard Jessica Canary – the team’s 10th of the game – led the Greyhounds to a 73-72 win over Hillsdale College in the first round of the NCAA Midwest Regional Tournament.

The Chargers’ season ends with a 27-4 record. The team’s four losses this season came by a total of six points.

Indy had the ball with 12.8 seconds left and worked the ball around to Canary, who drained a 3-pointer that rattled into the basket. A halfcourt shot by junior Brooke Knight fell wide right, ending the best season ever turned in by a Charger basketball team.

Indianapolis was 10-for-20 from 3-point land for the game, easily making up the difference in this game. The Chargers were 3-for-7 in threes, and the team was 19-for-30 from the free throw line.

After jumping out to an 11-3 lead, the Chargers found themselves trailing at halftime, 28-27. Hillsdale went six minutes without a point in one stretch of the first half, but survived the drought and quickly made up a deficit that reached as high as four at one time.

Senior forward Katie Cezat, playing the final game of an unparalleled career, scored six points in a 14-2 Charger run that put the team ahead 41-34 early in the second half.

Cezat had 36 points and 16 rebounds to go along with three assists in her last game. She set new school records for most points and rebounds in an NCAA tournament game, fitting for a player who already held 31 school, conference and NCAA records. She finishes her career with an NCAA Division II record 28 double-doubles, including 19 in a row.

Indianapolis center Samantha Meissel also played a tremendous game, finishing with 32 points and four rebounds. She was a big part of the team’s 3-point barrage, making 4-of-5 in the game.

Hillsdale led by as many as 10 points in the second half, but Indy used a 9-0 run to close the gap with around six minutes remaining. The game was a back-and-forth affair over the last six minutes, with the teams trading baskets but neither able to build a substantial lead.

Knight finished with 10 points and four rebounds for the Chargers. Junior Janay Miller had eight points and four rebounds, while senior Katie Eckinger also had eight points. Playing in her final collegiate game, senior Claire Aubrey added six points, three steals and three assists, cementing her legacy as one of the best defensive players in recent school history.

To view the box score from Friday’s regional quarterfinal, click on the link below.
Box score