MARION, Ind. - The No. 6 University of Saint Francis (Ind.) women's basketball team dropped its first game of the season on Wednesday, December 3, falling on the road to No. 19 Indiana Wesleyan by a final score of 81–59.

The teams battled early, with IWU holding a narrow 12–11 advantage after the opening quarter. The Wildcats created some separation midway through the second, using a 12–4 run to build a 24–15 lead and force a Saint Francis timeout. The Cougars responded to trim the deficit, but Indiana Wesleyan maintained control and took a 33–23 lead at halftime.

IWU carried the momentum in the third quarter, outscoring the Cougars 25–12 to extend its lead to 58–44. The Wildcats held firm the rest of the way to move to 6–4 overall and 2–1 in Crossroads League action. Saint Francis now stands at 9–1 on the season and 2–1 in league play.

Despite the loss, the Cougars shot an efficient 44.7% (21–47) from the floor and outscored IWU 42–34 in the paint. Isabella Gizzi led SF with 14 points, six rebounds and two steals. Cali Gregory and Taylor Fordyce added 13 points each, with Fordyce also grabbing six boards. Julia Mantyla chipped in 10 points, while Samiyah Stout finished with six.

Up next, the Cougars (9-1, 2-1 CL) will host the Bethel University Pilots on Saturday, December 6, for a Crossroads League doubleheader inside the Hutzell Athletic Center. 

Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point, Lafayette and online. Saint Francis Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 21 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. More than 1,900 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.