Freshman Courtney Simpson (Nappanee, IN/NorthWood HS) scored a career-best 19 points and Katie Hacker (Indianapolis, IN/Franklin Central HS) added a double-double of 20 points and 15 rebounds - both game highs - as IU South Bend (16-6/4-2 CCAC) pulled out to a 29 point second half advantage before holding off a furious rally by the visiting Tigers of Olivet Nazarene for an 84-76 win. Whitney Cole (North Judson, IN/North Judson HS) also set a new career high, scoring 14 points, while Lizzie Stapke (Highland, IN/Highland HS) and Betsy Grogan (Battle Ground, IN/West Lafayette Harrison HS) chipped in with 13 and 12, respectively.

The Titans got off to a bit of a slow start, taking nearly 90 seconds to register their first basket against ONU's full-court pressure, allowing the visitors to hold a 4-0 lead in the opening minutes. However, a Simpson layin got IU South Bend rolling, and over a 6:23 span of the opening half, the Titans marched from down 4-0 to a 22-4 advantage.

IU South Bend would push the lead to as many as 25 in the first half, as they shot a blistering 54% from behind the three-point line and 59% overall while holding the Tigers to just 29% from the field. On those strengths, the Titans withstood a late-half rally by Olivet and held a 45-32 lead into the break.

Out of the half, the Titans set sail again, opening the second stanza on a 23-7 spurt over just five-and-a-half minutes to open their largest lead of the contest at 68-39. The final 14 minutes appeared to be in the control of Olivet, however, as they methodically chewed their way into the IU South Bend lead, coming within three at 78-75 with 2:46 to play.

On the ensuing possession, however, Hacker corralled a missed triple by Stapke and was fouled on her putback attempt, sending her to the free throw line, where she converted both shots to push the lead back to two possessions. ONU got a free throw from Simone Coburn on their next trip to pull within four, but were unable to score in the final two minutes as Hacker and Grogan each sank a pair of charity tosses for the final margin.

Hacker's double-double is her second of the season and the 11th of her career. Stapke narrowly missed a double-double of her own, as she pulled down nine rebounds. Cole also added a team-high five assists to her 14 points, while Hacker handed out four, and also registered four steals.

The Titans finished the game shooting 48% from the floor and connected on half of their 24 three-point attempts.

Coburn led the Tigers with 19 points, while Holly Wiersma added 17. ONU shot just 34% from the field for the game and 24% from behind the three-point arc.

The Titans have a week off before they return to action on Tuesday, February 9 when they travel to Chicago to take on Robert Morris. That game will be played at the Gentile Center on Loyola University's Lakefront Campus. Tip off is set for 8:00 PM EST.

Pink Zone: The contest between the Tigers and Titans was a part of the WBCA Pink Zone initiative - involving more than 600 schools nationwide - in an effort to promote breast cancer awareness. All proceeds from the game will go to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.