~ The Indians managed just 25 points in a loss Monday to Oakville.

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. -- It is difficult to win a basketball game on any level when your team has more turnovers than points.

That was the case for most of the game Monday for the Jackson girls squad. The Indians finished the game with 21 turnovers and 25 points as they fell to Oakville 44-25 in the first game of the Martin Luther King Classic at Maryville University in St. Louis County.

"That may have been the worst offensive game," said Jackson coach Sam Sides, who saw his team fall to 9-6.

And he was not talking just about the current season.

"If there was a worse one I have ever coached, I can't remember," Sides said.

The turnovers, which may have actually numbered more than 30, were obviously a problem as was the shooting. The Indians did finish the game with the same amount of field goals as Oakville (11), but the Tigers were more physical and aggressive. Oakville attempted 38 free throws, making 22. Jackson was one-of-two from the line.

"We had a bad offensive game the other night against Eureka, and this one was even worse," Sides said. "We just can not score. We had the problems with the turnovers today and were very impatient on offense. We never were able to get into our offense.

"Things are starting to snowball, and the lack of scoring is getting into the girls' heads. We are in a frustrated frame of mind."

And there is little or no time to practice for the Indians, who are in the middle of a stretch of six games in eight days. The stretch started with a win at Kennett, and followed with the losses to the two St. Louis area teams.

Jackson will travel to Dexter tonight. The Indians host Notre Dame on Thursday and return to St. Louis Friday to take on Nerinx Hall.

Despite the abysmal offensive showing Monday, the Indians were in the game for much of the night.

Oakville had scored 70 and 75 points in its two previous games, but the Tigers had just 14 at halftime -- five more than Jackson.

The Indians' point total did not reach double digits until Ashten Howard hit a field goal with 5:30 left in the third quarter. Howard followed with another basket and Jackson only trailed 17-13 midway through the third quarter.

But Oakville outscored Jackson 14-3 the rest of the period, then spent much of the fourth quarter at the free-throw line, shooting 21 free throws.

Oakville senior Nicole Norberg made seven straight free throws and finished with a game-high 20 points.

Howard scored a team-high nine points for Jackson before she fouled out.

Oakville 6 8 17 13 -- 44

Jackson 5 4 7 0 -- 25

Oakville -- Norberg 20, DeGonia 9, Glenn 5, Gallagher 4, Boone 4, Kinder 2. FG: 11. FT: 22-38 (3-pointers: none).

Jackson -- Howard 9, Knepp 5, Goodpasture 5, McNeeley 4, Bollinger 2. FG: 11. FT: 1-2. (3-pointers: (Goodpasture 2, Howard1).