GARY, Ind. — Indiana University Northwest stayed within striking distance for much of the afternoon, but Saint Francis (Ill.) pulled away in the fourth quarter to hand the RedHawks a 66–56 loss Saturday at the Savannah Center.

Playing in front of a home crowd honoring its four seniors, IU Northwest opened the game with energy on both ends, holding No. 21 Saint Francis scoreless for the first 4 minutes. Ava Kingery knocked down an early jumper, and EJ Brown-Griffin established a presence inside as the RedHawks traded baskets through the opening quarter, briefly edging ahead before taking a 14–12 lead after one.

The RedHawks continued to compete in the second quarter, with Gracie Little providing a spark from the perimeter and Brown-Griffin converting in the paint. Saint Francis responded with timely shooting, but the  nationally ranked team turned it around before the half. 

Momentum shifted coming out of the break as Saint Francis strung together a scoring run behind perimeter shooting and second-chance opportunities. IU Northwest answered with baskets from Kingery and Diamond Howell, but the visitors built separation late in the third and carried a 60–36 advantage into the final period.

Saint Francis controlled the fourth quarter, opening on an 8–2 run that forced the RedHawks into catch-up mode. IU Northwest continued to battle defensively, but struggled to convert consistently down the stretch as the visitors closed out the 10-point road win.

Brown-Griffin led the RedHawks with 17 points and 14 rebounds for her team-leading double-double. Kingery finished with 14 points and six rebounds, while Little added 15 points on efficient shooting, connecting on three triples. Howell chipped in seven points, and IU Northwest recorded 13 assists on 23 made field goals.

IU Northwest returns to action Wednesday, Feb. 11, traveling to Saint Xavier University in Chicago, Ill., with tipoff scheduled for 5 p.m.