SIOUX CITY, Iowa. – The No. 14 Purdue University Northwest women's basketball team lost a hard fought battle to No. 20 Indiana University East, 85-80, in the opening round of the NAIA National Tournament Thursday afternoon at Sioux City's Tyson Events Center.

The Pride (24-9) led by as many as 11 in the second quarter, but a late surge by the Red Wolves (29-5) proved to be the deciding factor the game, giving IU-East its first-ever NAIA Tournament victory.

IU-East advances to Friday's second round to face No. 1 seed Marian (Ind.), who defeated Olivet Nazarene 105-92 earlier Thursday.

PNW Darien Thompson (Anderson, Ind./Anderson) (Anderson, Ind./Anderson) led the Pride with 29 points while Cassidy Deno (Otterbein, Ind./Benton Central) (Otterbein, Ind./Benton Central) and Ellie Michalski (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago) (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago) each chipped in with 10 points to round out the leaders in double-figures.

Senior Katie Wampler (Scottsburg, Ind./Scottsburg) (Scottsburg, Ind./Scottsburg) added nine points, Shae Rhonehouse (Fremont, Ind./Fremont) (Fremont, Ind./Fremont) and Michaela Kikendall (Morristown, Ind./Morristown) (Morristown, Ind./Morristown) scored eight points, respectively, and junior Jessica Kiser (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) chipped in with six points for PNW.

The Pride were up 44-40 heading in to the half, after a strong offensive performance by Thompson gave PNW the four-point advantage at the break. Thompson scored 20 of her 29 in the first 20 minutes, shooting 7-of-12 from the field by using her speed to her advantage with a variety of fast-break layups.

The third quarter saw both teams even at 21 points apiece, but it was late in the fourth when the Red Wolves made their move. Purdue Northwest led by as many as eight, 73-65, with 7:33 to play when Wampler drained two free throws.

IU-East's Kristen Miller – who finished with a game-high 34 points – took over after that, hitting a jumper to cut the lead to six. Miller would rattle off back-to-back 3s a minute later to give IU-East a two-point lead, 77-75, with 3:02 left. The Red Wolves would push that lead to four on a Miller jumper with 1:09 to go before Deno answered with a three-point play to bring the Pride within one, 81-80, with 44 seconds left.

But a tough foul call led to two Red Wolves' free throws and a later 3-pointer wouldn't fall for PNW, who lost its second-straight first-round game after falling to Mount Marty in 2016.

Under 10-year head coach Tom Megyesi, the Pride wrapped up their sixth-straight 20-plus win season and made their fourth NAIA Tournament appearance in five seasons. PNW will miss its three seniors in 2017-18, as Deno, Thompson, and Wampler completed stellar careers.

PNW, a provisional member of NCAA Division II, will begin play in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference beginning in the fall.