University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Iowa State
Panthers Drop Close Game to Cyclones
12/17/2005 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 17, 2005
Des Moines, Iowa - In the first women's basketball game in the Wells Fargo Arena, University of Northern Iowa suffered its second loss of the season to Iowa State. The Cyclones defeated UNI 61-54, despite UNI junior guard Sarah Larsen posting a career-high 19 points, including five three-pointers.
Senior center Cassie Hager had a career-best 12 rebounds and junior forward Tara King added eight. Larsen went 5-of-8 from behind the line and shot 70 percent from the field overall. Cyclone Lyndsey Medders had a game-high 24 points, going 4-of-7 from three-point range.
The Panthers sped off to a 7-0 lead by a Jessie Biggs three-pointer and four points from Hager. ISU followed with a 12-2 run and then Larsen sunk her first trey of the day to even the score (12-12) with 10 minutes remaining in the first half. After three lead changes, ISU took a six-point lead (23-17) into the half.
ISU climbed to a 40-25 lead and kept the advantage until another Larsen three-pointer started a Panther comeback with seven minutes remaining. Larsen and King combined for five treys as UNI steadily cut the Cyclone lead. In the final minute, Biggs executed a three-point play and sunk a layup on her return trip to bring UNI within two points. However, the Panthers could not hang on as Brittany Wilkins made four free throws and blocked a UNI shot.
ISU improves to 6-1 and UNI takes a 5-2 record into its game against Chicago State tomorrow at 4:05 p.m. in the West Gym.
