KOKOMO, Ind. - The IU Kokomo women's basketball team entered Thursday's game against ninth-ranked Rio Grande with nothing to lose and everything to gain, having lost to the RedStorm by 48 in Kokomo last season. 

Now in her first full season as head coach, Lisa Pflueger's squad battled throughout, falling to Rio Grande by just 10 at 81-71. The Cougars are now 8-12 overall and 4-5 in River States Conference play.

IU Kokomo came out of the gates strong, holding a RedStorm offense that averages 91.7 points per game (2nd best in NAIA) to just eight first quarter points. After URG scored the opening bucket, junior forward Mia Catey scored four quick points to give IUK their first lead at 4-2.

Trailing Rio 8-6 with 4:04 to play in the first period, the Cougars finished the frame on an 8-0 run to lead #9 URG 14-8 heading into the second quarter.

After receiving a shock to their system with a six-point first quarter deficit, the RedStorm quickly rallied to re-take a lead at 18-17. IU Kokomo was going nowhere fast however, as the Cougars and RedStorm would trade the lead four more times throughout the quarter.

Leading 30-29, Rio Grande finished the half on an 8-0 run, taking a nine-point lead into the halftime locker room.

While it would be easy to take a moral victory from the first half and shy away down the stretch, Coach Pflueger's squad did just the opposite, outscoring the RedStorm 15-13 in the third quarter to remain within striking distance.

The fourth quarter proved to be the highest scoring quarter on the night, as the two teams combined for a whopping 57 points in the final frame.

Catey scored at the rim for IUK to cut the deficit to five in the opening minutes of the period, but #9 Rio Grande would manage to keep their lead around double-digits for the duration of the quarter, closing out a hard-fought 81-71 win over a gritty IU Kokomo squad.

Three Cougars scored in double-figures Thursday, led by the upperclassmen forward duo of Mia Catey and Anna Kiser. Catey finished with a team-high 23 points and six rebounds, as Kiser recorded 21 points and 11 boards for her fourth double-double of the season.

Sophomore guard Cameryn Rector continued her strong play as of late offensively, chipping in 13 points thanks in large-part to three triples.

The Cougars have a quick turnaround before battling another stout opponent in Shawnee State, as they will welcome the Bears to town Saturday for a 3:00 PM tip-off.

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.