INDIANAPOLIS (Interstat) — Fort Wayne used a decisive third-quarter surge and capitalized on a slew of IU Indy turnovers to secure a 74-68 victory in a Horizon League women’s basketball contest Wednesday night at Fairgrounds Coliseum.

The Mastodons, who led by just a single point at halftime, outscored the Jaguars 24-14 in the third period to build a cushion they would never relinquish, despite a late push from the home team. The win improved Fort Wayne’s record to 5-4 overall, while IU Indy fell to 3-5.

The game was ultimately defined by ball security, or the lack thereof for the Jaguars. IU Indy committed 23 turnovers, which Fort Wayne converted into 23 points. Conversely, the Mastodons’ 14 turnovers led to only 14 points for IU Indy. That nine-point swing proved critical in a contest where neither team shot efficiently from the field.

Fort Wayne finished the game shooting 42.9% from the floor, making 24 of 56 attempts, while IU Indy connected on 20 of 51 shots for 39.2%. Both teams struggled from beyond the arc, with Fort Wayne hitting 5 of 17 and IU Indy making just 5 of 23. The Mastodons attempted one more free throw and made two fewer, going 21 for 31 from the line compared to the Jaguars’ 23 for 30.

The teams played a tight first half, trading leads in a sloppy opening period. Fort Wayne’s Jordan Reid hit a three-pointer just before the first-quarter buzzer to give her team a 16-17 lead. The second quarter followed a similar pattern, with the Mastodons taking a narrow 33-34 advantage into the locker room after a low-possession, turnover-plagued first half that featured 19 combined giveaways.

The narrative shifted dramatically after halftime. Fort Wayne emerged with renewed defensive intensity, sparking a 12-4 run to open the third quarter. The Mastodons forced eight IU Indy turnovers in the period, consistently turning defensive stops into transition opportunities and easy baskets in the paint, where they held a 34-26 advantage for the game.

A key sequence saw Reid sink a three-pointer, followed by a steal and transition jumper from Lauren Lee, forcing an IU Indy timeout with Fort Wayne’s lead stretched to 47-38. The Mastodons continued to attack, closing the quarter with a Reid turnaround jumper to take a commanding 57-48 lead into the final frame.

IU Indy refused to fade, opening the fourth quarter with five quick points to cut the deficit to four. Fort Wayne responded with a 7-0 run, capped by an Alana Nelson three-pointer, to restore an 11-point lead with just over four minutes to play. The Jaguars made a final desperate push in the closing minutes, using full-court pressure to force several late turnovers.

A three-pointer by Sydney Bolden and a driving layup from Hailey Smith brought IU Indy within four points at 68-64 with under a minute remaining. Fort Wayne’s composure was tested at the free-throw line, where they had been inconsistent all night. In the final 36 seconds, the Mastodons converted just enough, with Lili Krasovec and Rylee Bess each making one of two attempts to keep it a two-possession game.

IU Indy’ Destini Craig made a free throw with 10 seconds left to pull within 68-71, but Fort Wayne’s Bess calmly sank two more free throws with six seconds remaining to seal the six-point victory.

Individual performances highlighted the night. Fort Wayne was led by the dynamic duo of Jordan Reid and Alana Nelson. Reid, a guard from New Palestine, Indiana, posted a game-high 21 points, adding 4 assists, a block, and 3 steals in 38 minutes. Nelson, from Springport, Michigan, was equally vital, scoring 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting and contributing 3 assists and a steal.

For IU Indy, the scoring load was shared. Kamara Mills, an Indianapolis native, led the team with 14 points. Hailey Smith of Fishers, Indiana, added 15 points, and Olivia Smith from Fort Wayne chipped in 12 points and 3 assists. Sydney Bolden scored 11 points off the bench.

Fort Wayne’s efficiency, measured by an offensive rating of 91.7 points per 100 possessions, narrowly bested IU Indy’s 83.7, illustrating the grinding, defensive nature of the contest. The Mastodons also won the assist battle 9-7 and recorded 9 steals.

The game was the Horizon League opener for both teams. Fort Wayne entered having split its last two games, a close loss at Bowling Green and a win at Northwestern State. IU Indy had won its previous outing decisively against Anderson.

Looking ahead, Fort Wayne returns home to host Wright State on Sunday. IU Indy hits the road for its next conference matchup, facing Detroit Mercy on Sunday.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Fort Wayne was projected with an 87 percent probability to win the contest.