BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Western Michigan University women's basketball team had a hard-fought game against the Indiana Hoosiers on Wednesday night.

The Broncos kept the Hoosiers on their toes in a game that was within single digits for over three quarters. But a difficult offensive start to the fourth quarter put WMU in a hole it couldn't get out of in the 71-53 loss. Sophomores D'Myjah Bolds and Kailey Starks led the Brown and Gold on offense with 12 points each while Bolds also led Western Michigan's defense with nine rebounds.

The Broncos dominated the first quarter after Indiana took an early lead at the line. WMU opened the game on a nine-point run to take its largest lead of the night at seven. The Hoosiers were only able to get the Brown and Gold's lead down to five points through the first ten minutes as Western Michigan matched IU shot for shot. With back-to-back threes to end the quarter, the Broncos had a 20-15 lead.

WMU kept its lead through the first half of the second quarter, again matching Indiana's offensive output. But a 15-5 run for the Hoosiers put the Brown and Gold on their heels at the end of the half. Western Michigan headed into the locker room at halftime down by four, 35-31.

The Broncos got back within a point of IU early in the second half as Bolds knocked down a banked three-point shot less than 20 seconds in. WMU continued to keep things close with Indiana through much of the third quarter two made baskets from senior forward Ariana Wilkes and a three from sophomore guard Alli Harness. But the Hoosiers closed out the quarter on a seven-point run to make it a 51-42 game with 10 minutes left.

The Brown and Gold struggled to stop IU's offense early in the fourth quarter as Indiana grew its lead into double figures. Western Michigan got its deficit back down to nine points with back-to-back layups from Bolds. The Broncos weren't able to keep up their offense in the final three minutes of the game as they fell to the Hoosiers 71-53.

WMU continues its current road swing over the weekend with a stop in the Windy City. The Brown and Gold take on the Loyola Chicago Ramblers on Sunday, Dec. 7. Tip-off from Gentile Arena is set for 2 p.m. on Sunday.