ANN ARBOR, Mich. – IU South Bend overcame a slow start with 27 points in the third quarter, as the Titans scored their third win in as many games to start the new season, winning 81-64 on the road at Concordia.

Maddie Gard finished with a game-high 20 points in the win, on 8-of-13 shooting. Sara Doi tallied a season-high 17 points with four steals. Courtney Haynes pulled down a game-high seven rebounds to go with 11 points.

The Titans (3-0) opened with an early 9-5 lead following Gard’s layup at the 7:02 mark of the first quarter, until an 11-1 run over the next four and a half minutes put the Cardinals (1-1) in front, 16-10.

The home team would hold the lead until Doi’s bucket with 9:19 in the second quarter allowed the Titans to reclaim a 23-21 advantage. Her layup was part of a 13-2 run for IUSB that stretched the Titan lead to seven, 32-25 midway through the second. The Titans would enter the halftime break with a 43-38 lead, behind nine first-half points from Maddie Gard.

IU South Bend opened a double-digit lead at the start of the second half, opening with five straight points from Gard. Amaya Rufus’ jumper at the 6:17 mark of the third quarter pushed the lead to 14, and despite a quick run from the Cardinals cutting the lead to single digits, IUSB would lead 70-53 going into the fourth quarter. Maddie Gard’s jumper midway through the fourth gave the Titans their largest lead of the night, 75-55 on their way to the win.

The Titans will now prepare for the start of CCAC play, when they hit the road next Wednesday to face St. Francis. Tipoff from Joliet on November 3 is set for 8:00 p.m.