UPLAND, Ind. - The IU Kokomo women's basketball team earned a hard-fought neutral-site win Wednesday in game two of the Trojan Classic, beating St. Ambrose 56-53 to close 2024 on a high note.

First year head coach Lisa Pflueger's squad will enter 2025 and River States Conference play with an overall record of 5-7, and a conference mark of 1-0.

St. Ambrose jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead, as IU Kokomo struggled to find their footing offensively for much of the first half. The Fighting Bees led by as many as nine in the opening quarter, but an Anna Kiser bucket in the paint made it a seven-point SAU lead after one.

The Fighting Bees quickly extended their lead to double-digits, turning in their best quarter offensively with 17 second period points. The Cougars trailed 32-20 at the half.

After St. Ambrose took their largest lead of the game at 39-24 with six minutes to play in the third, IU Kokomo utilized a 9-0 scoring run to pull within six points of the Fighting Bees. The Cougs trailed by five with 37 seconds remaining in the third before going 3/4 at the line to trail 41-39 heading into the fourth quarter.

Kiser would score in the paint early before Cameryn Rector followed on the ensuing possession with a triple, giving the Cougars a 44-43 lead, their first of the game. 

SAU responded in a big way however, as they managed to rebuild the lead to five with six minutes to play. IU Kokomo proved un-phased, chipping away at the deficit before pulling even at 52 with 1:41 remaining.

The Fighting Bees would go 1/2 at the charity stripe to retake a 53-52 lead with 1:14 to play, but IU Kokomo would score the final four points of the game at the free-throw line to steal a neutral-site victory 56-53 over St. Ambrose.

Just as they did in Tuesday's Trojan Classic opener, Anna Kiser and Kelsi Langley fueled the IUK offense as the lone double-digit scorers. Langley had a team-high 18 points and six rebounds, while Kiser finished with 14 points and 10 boards for her first double-double of the season.

The Cougars will return to action January 4th inside the Student Activities and Events Center, as they will host Oakland City at approximately 3:00 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.