KOKOMO, Ind. - The Indiana University Kokomo women's basketball team opened the home portion of their 2024-2025 schedule Tuesday evening, hosting Holy Cross College (Ind.) for a 6:00 PM tip-off.

The Cougars were victorious, holding on for a 69-65 victory to improve to 1-1 on the season.

IU Kokomo and Holy Cross were locked in a defensive battle early in the opening quarter. Holy Cross scored at the rim on the opening possession, but the score remained 2-0 until the 6:18 mark of the first quarter. 

Kelsi Langley drilled a three-pointer to give the Cougars their first lead of the night at 5-3, but it was the Saints who held a 14-9 lead through 10 minutes of play.

Chloe McClain and Langley fueled a strong second quarter for IU Kokomo, as McClain had nine second quarter points and Langley added seven. With the game tied at 27 with 22 seconds remaining in the half, Langley completed an old-fashioned three-point play to give the Cougars a 30-27 halftime lead.

Holy Cross came out of the halftime locker room strong, as neither side managed to build a lead bigger than four points until the final minute of the third quarter. IU Kokomo led by one at 45-44 before buckets on three consecutive possessions, including a Shamaria Walker buzzer-beating layup, made it a seven-point IUK lead with 10 minutes to play.

Freshman Lexi DiOrio knocked down a triple on the opening possession of the fourth quarter, extending the lead to double-digits at 54-44. The IUK lead was extended to 12 with a Langley basket in the paint, but the Saints immediately responded with a 9-0 run to trim the deficit to three.

The Saints managed to pull within one on two occasions inside the final two minutes, but a missed layup forced Holy Cross to foul already down three. DiOrio split a pair at the line, essentially ending all hope for Holy Cross and closing out a four-point win for the Cougars. 

Langley led IU Kokomo offensively, pouring in 18 points while collecting nine rebounds. Chloe McClain had 13 points and Lexi DiOrio added nine points and five boards. 

Anna Kiser pulled down a game-high 13 boards to go along with eight points. Mia Catey also chipped in eight points.

The Cougars will be back in action Saturday, as they will head to Michigan to take on Cleary University in another non-conference matchup. Tip-off is set for 1:00 PM.

For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.