University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
24-8, 15-3
Drake - MVC Championship
28-4, 18-0
UNI Falls in Overtime in MVC Title Game vs. Drake, 74-69
3/12/2017 4:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MOLINE, Ill. – The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball fought and battled the Drake Bulldogs to the final seconds of the game, but fell in overtime in the championship game, 74-69. UNI is 24-8 overall this season.
The Panthers had two student-athletes earn All-Tournament Team honors with Madison Weekly and Angie Davison both putting together outstanding performances throughout the weekend. Davison also earned the MVC Elite 18 Award, given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA in the championship game.
Davison, Weekly and Ellie Herzberg all scored in double-figures with Herzberg scoring a game-high 25 points. Davison added her first-career double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds while Weekly finished with 10 points, a career-high nine rebounds and seven assists.
Despite starting the game down 5-0, UNI quickly got the hot hand in the first quarter. The Panthers tied the game 12-12 on a three-pointer from Weekly at the 4:47 mark and eventually headed into the second quarter up 22-19 thanks in part to a well-timed bucket from distance off the hands of Angie Davison.
The Panthers took control of the game in the second quarter, keeping Drake scoreless for close to four minutes, allowing UNI to go on a 9-0 run. UNI turned it into a 10-point lead heading into halftime with Davison hitting another key shot with 27 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
UNI came out of halftime cold, going without a field goal for over six minutes. Drake was able to go on a 13-1 run to take the lead, but UNI kept clawing back with Herzberg taking back the advantage with 1:43. The score went back-and-forth late in the third quarter, but Megan Maahs hit a key shot with just one second left on the clock in the third to send UNI into the fourth with a 50-48 lead.
The fourth quarter was a gritty battle between the two teams with the score being tied three times. Davison continued to fire away, hitting a huge three-pointer at the 3:33 mark in the quarter to give UNI a 58-57 lead, but Drake answered, taking back a 59-58 lead with less than three minutes to play.
UNI trailed by one with less than 15 seconds on the clock in regulation when Herzberg hit a three-pointer with just six seconds left to push UNI up by two. Yet again, Drake had an answer with Caitlin Ingle hitting a circus shot with one second on the clock to send the game into overtime.
Herzberg started the overtime period how she ended regulation, knocking in UNI's 10th three of the game to put the Panthers up 66-63 with the clock reading 4:03. Drake was able to counter with a three-pointer of their own, turning it into an eight-point swing to give them a five-point advantage with 2:27 on the clock.
Herzberg hit another three with 23 seconds left to cut the Drake lead to 72-69, but Lizzy Wendell converted two free throws down the stretch to seal the Bulldog win.
UNI will see where they land in the post-season tomorrow with the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament Selection Show airing at 6 p.m. on ESPN with the WNIT field being announced following the show.
