Gary, Ind. -- The Indiana University Northwest women's basketball team picked up a huge Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference victory against Holy Cross College at the Savannah Center Wednesday. The RedHawks (7-10, 4-6 CCAC) defeated the Saints (5-13, 4-6 CCAC), 63-52, Wednesday.

Holy Cross led 12-9 late in the first quarter before Jayla Crump (Kouts, Ind./Kouts) hit a basket and Jessy Siems (Cedar Lake, Ind./Hanover Central) nailed a three pointer to give the RedHawks the lead. IUN led 14-12 after the opening period.

Both teams would trade early leads until midway through the second quarter. Holy Cross led 21-20 with 4:10 left in the half then in the next three minutes, IUN scored the seven points to pull ahead 27-21 under a minute left.

Hannah Hammar (Hammond, Ind./Hammond Morton) knocked down a pair of free throws at the line towards the end of half. IUN went into the break ahead 29-23.

IUN got the second half started on the right foot after Michaela Schmidt (Highland, Ind./Highland) hit from downtown go up by nine points (32-23). The RedHawks did not give in as Lauren Smolen (Crown Point, Ind./Lake Central) made it 38-25 with 5:49 to go in the third quarter.

Hammar gave IUN their biggest lead of the third quarter with a three-pointer which expanded IUN's lead to 44-30. The RedHawks went into the fourth quarter with a 48-37 lead.

Both teams were scoreless nearly three minutes of the fourth quarter. Ashley O'Malley (Crown Point, Ind.) ended that drought with a bucket to make it 50-37 with 7:13 left in the game.

Holy Cross tried to get back in the game as the Saints cut it to 52-45 with under five minutes to go. O'Malley picked up a huge and-one after scoring the basket and initating contact to put the RedHawks back up by 10 (55-45). 

IUN would score the next six points to grab their biggest lead of the night which was 16 as the RedHawks led 61-45 with 2:30 remaining in the game. The RedHawks ended up winning the game 63-52.

Smolen led all scorers in the game as the freshman recorded 15 points. Crump had a breakout game for the RedHawks as the senior scored 12 points. 

O'Malley rounded out the double figure scoring for IUN as the senior pitched in 10 points and grabbed six boards. Alexis Vieck (Bicknell, Ind.) was busy on the boards tonight for the RedHawks as she pulled down 10 rebounds.

IUN returns to action Saturday, January 11 for a non-conference matchup against Lincoln College starting at 1 p.m. However, LC joins the CCAC in 2020-21.