University of Northern Iowa
Illinois State
Panthers Come Up Short in 70-64 Loss to Illinois State
1/28/2010 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 28, 2010
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CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team surrendered the lead with two minutes left in the first half and could never regain it in a 70-64 loss to the Redbirds in Missouri Valley Conference action Thursday night in the McLeod Center. The Panthers never trailed by more than eight points, but the Redbirds were able to maintain at least a one-point lead through the final 12 minutes of action.
K.K. Armstrong led the Panthers (7-12, 3-5 MVC) with 15 points each, and K.K. Armstrong each had seven rebounds for the Panthers, and Brocka also tallied four steals.
Ashleen Bracey led the Redbirds (14-5, 7-1 MVC) with 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Nicolle Lewis finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Maggie Krick added 14 points for ISU.
Nicole Clausen connected from long range on the next trip down to give the Panthers an early 9-0 lead.
Illinois State used a pair of threes to cut the Panther advantage to 9-6, but K.K. Armstrong converted layups on consecutive trips to extend the UNI lead to 13-6 with 13:31 left in the first half.
The Redbirds responded with a 7-1 run to narrow the gap to a point, 14-13. UNI scored the next five points to put its lead back at six, but Illinois State chipped away and pulled within one, 21-20, on a layup by Bracey with 7:16 on the clock. Boeck gave UNI a three-point cushion with a layup, but Krick connected on a three and a short jumper on back-to-back trips to give ISU its first lead, 25-23 at 5:25.
Erin Brocka came up with a steal and connected for three to put the Panthers back in front, 26-25. The teams traded one-point leads six times in the final 3:20 of the period, with Illinois State taking a 31-30 lead into the break.
Hannah Spanich hit a three on Illinois State's first possession of the second half to give the Redbirds a two-possession lead, 34-30. Nicolle Lewis negated a jump shot by Kalin with a pair of free throws to keep the difference at four. Clausen made her second three of the game to pull the Panthers within one, but Krick matched it at the other end to bring the score to 39-35 with 17 minutes to play.
Lewis scored to give Illinois State a six-point advantage, but Armstrong converted a layup and Clausen connected on her third three of the game to pull the Panthers back within one, 41-40, with 13:46 remaining.
A jumper from Spanich put the Redbirds in front by three, but Kalin hit a three from the right wing to tie the game at 43-43 at the 12-minute mark.
Illinois State scored the game's next six points to build a 49-43 lead. Armstrong made a layup to trim to lead to four, but Bracey converted a three-point play to extend the Illinois State advantage to 52-45.
Kalin drained a three on the Panthers' next possession to pull the Panthers within four. Illinois State's Shala Jackson and Brocka traded baskets, and Bracey knocked down a three from the top of the key to put the Redbird lead back at seven, 57-50 with 7:08 to play.
Danielle Wubbens hit a jumper, and Kalin made a pair of free throws to pull the Panthers within three, 57-54. The Redbirds answered with four straight points to bring the score to 61-54 with 4:29 to play.
A free throw from Brocka and a pair from the stripe by Armstrong cut the Redbird lead to four. Bracey hit a mid-range jumper to give ISU a six-point cushion with 2:13 on the clock.
Neither team scored until Bracey sank a floater in the lane as the shot clock expired at 1:10.
Kim Wypiszynski converted a pair of free throws to pull the Panthers back within six. The Panthers elected to send Amanda Clifton to the line. She made one of the two attempts to bring the score to 66-59, and Armstrong made a layup to cut the lead to five. UNI sent Katie Broadway to the line, and she made one of her two attempts to give ISU a 67-61 lead.
Kalin drained a three to cut the Redbird lead in half, 67-64 with 26 seconds on the clock.
That was as close as the Panthers would get, however, as the Redbirds connected on three of four free throws in the final 20 seconds while holding the Panthers scoreless in that span.
The Panthers shot 23-of-63 (36.5 percent) from the floor, including 9-of-21 (42.9 percent) from three-point range. UNI finished 9-of-12 (75 percent) from the free-throw line.
Illinois State shot 25-of-50 (50 percent) from the floor, including 7-of-18 (38.9 percent) from behind the arc. The Redbirds were 13-of-16 (81.3) from the free-throw line.
The Redbirds held a 39-29 rebounding advantage. UNI turned 11 offensive rebounds into 13 second-chance points, while ISU converted nine offensive boards into seven second-chance points. The Redbirds committed 19 turnovers, which UNI turned into 20 points. The Panthers gave the ball away 11 times, resulting in 11 ISU points.
The Panthers return to action on Saturday at 3:05 p.m. when they host Indiana State.
