University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Southern Illinois
Panthers Stifle Salukis, 64-43
1/7/2010 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 7, 2010
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team cruised to a 64-43 win over Southern Illinois to earn its first Missouri Valley Conference win Thursday night in the McLeod Center.
Jacqui Kalin led UNI (5-9, 1-2 MVC) with 21 points in just 22 minutes of action. Lizzie Boeck scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and Erin Brocka finished with six points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots.
Southern Illinois (2-10, 1-1 MVC) shot just 25.9 percent from the floor, a season low for UNI opponents. The Salukis' 43 points also represent a season low for the Panthers. Christine Presswood led SIU with 15 points, and Stephany Neptune finished with 10.
Leading 17-15, the Panthers rattled off nine straight points to take a 26-15 lead with 3:50 left in the first half. Katerina Garcia ended UNI's run with a short jumper, but the Panthers scored the final six point of the half to take a 32-17 lead into the locker room.
Erin Brocka hit a jumper with 17:28 to play, capping a 13-0 UNI run that spanned over both halves and gave the Panthers a 39-17 lead. Stephany Neptune scored at 16:50 to end a 6:30 scoring drought for the Salukis.
SIU cut the Panther advantage to 40-23, but the Panthers scored the next seven points to build a 47-23 lead with 11:19 remaining. UNI led by as many as 25 point and at least 19 the rest of the way.
UNI shot 24-of-54 (44.4 percent) from the floor, including 3-of-13 (23.1 percent) from long distance. The Panthers shot 13-of-22 (59.1 percent) from the free-throw line.
The Salukis finished 15-of-58 (25.9 percent) from the floor, including 3-of-17 (17.6 percent) from three-point range. SIU shot 10-of-15 (66.7 percent) from the free-throw line.
UNI held a 47-35 rebounding advantage. The Panther bench accounted for 25 points, while SIU's bench scored nine.
The Panthers return to action on Saturday when they host Evansville at 1:05 p.m.
