University of Northern Iowa
North Dakota State
Panthers Rally For 77-73 Win At NDSU
11/14/2008 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 14, 2008
FARGO, N.D. - The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team trailed by as many as 16 points in the second half before rallying for a 77-73 win at North Dakota State in its season opener Friday night at Bison Sports Arena. The Panthers used 72 percent (18-of-25) shooting from the floor to score 53 second-half points.
Nicole Clausen was 9-of-12 from the floor, including 6-of-7 from three-point range on the way to a career-high 27 points. K.K. Armstrong added 25 points and eight assists in her debut for the Panthers, and Alexa Mennen finished with 13 points and seven rebounds for UNI.
NDSU (0-1) held a 43-27 lead with 17 minutes to play, but the Panthers (1-0) chipped away at the Bison lead and took a 56-55 lead with 8:02 to play and never trailed from that point.
The Bison took an early 9-4 lead, but Nicole Clausen knocked down a three at 8:25 to tie the game, 12-12. Clausen and NDSU's Katie Birkel traded baskets, and Alexa Mennen hit a three with 6:24 left in the half to give UNI its first lead of the game, 17-14.
NDSU scored the next eight points, however, building a 22-17 lead. Clausen ended the Bison run with a three, cutting the Panther deficit to 22-20 with 4:30 on the clock.
The Bison used a free throw from Whitney Trecker and a pair of free throws from Jill Zaruba to build a 25-20 advantage.
Kim Wypiszynski came up with a loose ball and found Indy Uhlenhopp ahead of the pack. The freshman scored on the fast break to bring the score to 25-22. NDSU scored six unanswered points, however, to build a 31-22 lead with 1:22 left in the half.
K.K. Armstrong connected on a layup with 32 seconds left to send UNI into the break trailing 31-24.
Abby Plucker hit a three on NDSU's first possession of the game to give the Bison a 10-point advantage, 34-24. Clausen answered on UNI's next trip, however, bringing the score to 34-27.
The Bison went on a 9-0 run over the next 2:30 to build a 43-27 lead with 17:02 to play.
Lizzie Boeck ended the Bison's run with a three from the top of the key. Armstrong hit a free throw, and Clausen drained a three from the left wing to bring the score to 43-34. On UNI's next possession, Armstrong drove into the lane and scored to pull the Panthers back within seven, 43-36.
On the next defensive trip, Armstrong collected a long rebound and brought the ball the length of the floor, scoring a layup as she was fouled. She made the bonus, and brought the Panthers within four, 43-39 with 14:30 to play.
NDSU scored on back-to-back possessions to extend its lead to 47-39.
Clausen and Boeck hit threes on consecutive trips to pull the Panthers within two, 47-45 with 12:38 to play. Armstrong tracked down a long rebound on UNI's next possession, and she knocked down a mid-range jumper on the fast break to tie the game, 47-47 with 12:17 on the clock.
NDSU scored the game's next six points to take a 53-47 lead. Mennen scored on a jump shot from in the paint to bring it back to a four-point game, 53-49 with 10:16 to play. Armstrong hit a three from the left wing to cut the Bison lead to one, 53-52.
Mennen matched a pair of Birkel free throws with a turn-around jumper in the lane. Mennen found Swanson on the left elbow, and the sophomore connected on the jump shot to give UNI its first lead of the second half, 56-55.
UNI came up with a defensive stop, and Armstrong passed the ball ahead to a streaking Clausen, who found Swanson running on the left side for a layup that put UNI in front, 58-55 with 7:36 to play.
Inger Hodgson connected on a deep three that tied the game, but Clausen answered with a three on the other end to put UNI back in front, 61-58.
Plucker hit a pair of free throws to make it a one-point game, but Mennen answered with a jump shot for UNI.
Bickel hit a jump shot with 5:50 left to cut the Panther lead to 63-62. Mennen gave UNI a two-point lead with a free throw, but a pair of free throws from Trecker tied the game at 64-64 with 4:46 to play.
Clausen scored as she was fouled on a fast break to put the Panthers in front, 67-64 with 3:32 left. Mennen made one of two free throws on UNI's next possession to make it a two-possession game, 68-64 with 2:53 to play.
Jerri Penley brought it back within two points with a basket for the Bison, but Mennen connected again for UNI to bring the score to 70-66 with 1:41 on the clock. Birkel and Armstrong traded baskets, and NDSU elected to send Armstrong to the line with the Panthers holding a 72-68 lead and 34 seconds on the clock. The freshman made one of two to give UNI a 73-68 lead.
Birkel scored for the Bison, and NDSU sent Armstrong to the line again. She connected on both tries to keep the UNI advantage at five, 75-50 with 24 seconds remaining.
Trecker was fouled as she attempted a three, and she made all three free-throw attempts to bring the Bison within two, 75-73 with 14.8 seconds left.
NDSU sent Clausen to the line with 12.8 seconds left, and she made both tries to seal the win for UNI.
UNI finished 28-of-52 (53.8 percent) from the floor, including 11-of-21 (52.4 percent) from three-point range. The Panthers made 10-of-19 (52.6 percent) free-throw tries. The Bison shot 23-of-56 (41.1 percent) from the floor, including 5-of-18 (27.8 percent) from behind the arc. NDSU was 22-of-26 (84.6 percent) from the free-throw line.
The Panthers return to action on Thursday when they host in-state rival Iowa State at 7:05 p.m.
