UNI Opens MVC Play with Loyola, Valpo

Friday, December 29

Cedar Falls, Iowa

7 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

Loyola (celebrating MVC women's history)

UNI Opens MVC Play with Loyola, Valpo

12/28/2017 3:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball

UNI GAME NOTES

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – A new season is upon the University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team (4-7) as the Panthers officially shift focus to Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend as Loyola-Chicago (2-9) and Valparaiso (7-4) come to town.

The Panthers will face the Ramblers on Friday at 7 p.m. CT, before capping the weekend against the Crusaders on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT. UNI owns a 7-3 advantage all-time over Loyola, while having never faced Valpo on the hardwood.

HOW TO TUNE IN
Both games will be televised on ESPN3. Fans can also listen in on 1540 KXEL or www.UNIPanthers.com as Chris Kleinhans-Schulz calls the action.

LIVE STATS
Live stats will be made available via the UNI athletics website (www.UNIPanthers.com). Fans and media can visit @UNIWBB on Twitter for links to the feed.

TICKETS
Fans can purchase season and single-game tickets to UNI women's basketball home games through UNITIX. Call 319-273-4849 or visit www.UNITIX.uni.edu.

NEED TO KNOW

UNI (4-7) opens the MVC slate on Friday against Loyola (2-9) before the Panthers take on Valparaiso (7-4) on Sunday to cap the weekend.
The Panthers are 7-3 all-time against Loyola, while UNI and Valpo have never faced off on the hardwood.
Last time out, UNI upended Kansas State on the road, 72-71, to earn its second Power-5 win of the young season and close out the non-conference slate.
UNI made 16 shots from 3-point range to edge K-State, coming one shy of a program record.
Senior Kennedy Kirkpatrick knocked down seven 3-pointers and scored 24 points off the bench to lead the Panthers past the Wildcats. Kirkpatrick was honored as the MVC Player of the Week after her career outing.

SERIES WITH LOYOLA/VALPO

UNI leads the overall series against Loyola, 7-3, while Sunday's meeting against Valparaiso will be the first between the two basketball programs.
The Panthers have won the last three meetings against the Ramblers, while not dropping a home contest to Loyola since Dec. 12, 1984.

SCOUTING THE RAMBLERS/CRUSADERS

Loyola enters Friday's MVC opener with a 2-9 record, having snapped a four-game losing streak last time out with a win over University of Illinois-Chicago.
The Ramblers don't have any players averaging over double-figures, while scoring 49.9 ppg. Loyola has been outscored by a margin of 19.5 this season.
New MVC-member Valparaiso enters league play on a four-game winning streak, currently sitting at the top of the conference before this weekend's action.
The Crusaders are 7-4 overall this season, but have struggled on the road with a 2-4 mark.
Senior forward Dani Franklin leads Valpo in scoring, logging 18.0 ppg.

DEFENDERS OF WARREN

UNI is 134-20 under the direction of head coach Tanya Warren when holding an opponent to 60 points or less.
Five of UNI's top-10 scoring defense averages in school history have come during the Warren era, while the Panthers ranked second in the Valley last season after holding opponents to 58.3 points per game.
UNI was 19-0 in 2016-17 when holding foes to 60 points or less, so far this season the Panthers are 2-3.

PANTHER SHARP SHOOTERS

UNI has knocked down 86-of-266 (32.3%) from 3-point land this season.
The Panthers are averaging 7.8 made 3-pointers a game.
Last season, the Panthers shot 250-848 (29.5%) from beyond the arc to average 7.6 made 3-pointers a game.
Senior Kennedy Kirkpatrick has drained 18 shots from 3-point range to lead UNI this season.

UNI CONTROLS THE GLASS

This season, the Panthers rank third in the MVC with 2.5 rebounding margin over foes.
UNI has outrebounded seven foes this season, with the highest margin of 18 coming against Wyoming earlier in November.
When outrebounding teams this season, UNI is 3-4 on the season.
The Panthers are averaging 39.0 rebounds per contest, which ranks third in the MVC.

UNI EARNS ANOTHER POWER-5 WIN

The Panthers have no fear against Power-5 opponents this season, with UNI owning two victories over teams from the Big 12.
UNI downed Iowa State on Nov. 14 (57-53), before earning a road win over Kansas State on Dec. 21 (72-71).
Under head coach Tanya Warren, the Panthers have earned six wins over Power-5 foes.

MVC OPENERS FOR THE PANTHERS

The Panthers are 11-15 all-time in Missouri Valley Conference openers.
UNI is 7-4 in conference openers under the direction of head coach Tanya Warren, including four-straight MVC wins to open league play.

KIRKPATRICK HAS STELLAR HOMECOMING

Lawrence, Kansas native Kennedy Kirkpatrick had about as good of a homecoming as one could hope for in UNI's 72-71 victory over Kansas State on Dec. 21.
The redshirt senior scored a career-high 24 points off the bench to lead the Panthers to a road win over another Power-5 foe.
Kirkpatrick also made a career-high seven 3-pointers, which was only one shy of tying the school record for a game.
Kirkpatrick scored the go-ahead basket with 2:11 remaining in the game, before adding seven points in the final two minutes to lead the Panthers to victory.
The guard has now scored in double-figures six times this season.

UNI'S STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE RANKS NO. 15

This season, the Panthers have played one of the toughest schedules in the country, ranking No. 15 in the nation.
The next closest MVC member is Drake at No. 27.
Overall, past opponents this season have earned a 65-33 record.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

Sophomore Megan Maahs is the only Panther to record a double-double for UNI this season, logging four on the year.
For her career, Maahs has earned five double-doubles as a Panther. The sophomore has earned the last five double-doubles for UNI.
The sophomore is 29th in the nation with 7.0 defensive rebounds per game, while ranking 34th in the NCAA for total rebounds per contest at 9.9.
In the MVC, Maahs tops the league this season in rebounds per game (9.9), defensive rebounds per game (7.0) and most double-doubles (4).

WARREN IN THE VALLEY

Head coach Tanya Warren is fifth all-time wins in the Missouri Valley Conference, with 118 league victories under her belt. Warren is behind Creighton's Jim Flanery (2003-13) who owns 131 wins.
Overall, Warren's 190 wins are tied for fifth all-time in the Missouri Valley Conference, with Jim Flanery (2003-13).

SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on the UNI women's basketball program, follow the Panthers on Twitter at "@UNIWBB" and on Facebook at "UNI Women's Basketball."