University of Northern Iowa
Wichita State
Shockers Hand UNI 67-40 Defeat in MVC Opener
12/29/2011 1:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Cedar Falls, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team was defeated by Wichita State, 67-40, in both teams' Missouri Valley Conference opener on Thursday evening in the McLeod Center. With the loss to the Shockers, the Panthers have now slipped into a three-game losing streak.
The loss snaps UNI's streak of 19 straight wins against MVC opponents and is only the Panthers' second defeat in their last 26 games against Valley competition. UNI had won 25 of the last 27 contests with Wichita State entering tonight's game.
UNI (7-5, 0-1 MVC) was dominated on the boards for the second straight contest, as Wichita State posted a 43-21 rebounding advantage for the game. The Shockers shot 28-of-55 from the floor (50.9 percent), while UNI shot 17-of-50 (34 percent).
UNI was 4-of-16 from three-point range. Wichita State made 4-of-10 attempts from beyond the arc.
Junior forward Amber Kirschbaum led the Panthers on offense, scoring 12 points and pulling down seven rebounds. Senior Rachel Madrigal added eight points, three rebounds and two blocks.
Senior Haleigh Lankster scored 14 points to lead Wichita State. Junior forward Chynna Turner recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
UNI held a 13-10 lead just under eight minutes into the contest after Mercedees Morgan drained a three-point attempt, and the Panthers trailed only 22-20 with six and half minutes left in the opening half. Wichita State then took control of the game with a 13-0 run that lasted three minutes, and the Shockers held a 37-22 halftime lead.
Wichita State (7-5, 1-0 MVC) stretched its margin to 19 by scoring the first four points of the second half, but the Panthers responded with a 9-2 run that featured two buckets from Kirschbaum and a three-pointer from Brittni Donaldson, cutting the deficit to 43-31.
However, UNI would not get any closer the rest of the way. The Shockers rattled off an 11-0 run and held at least a 20-point lead for the final 11 minutes of the game.
UNI returns to action at 2 p.m. on Sat., Dec. 31, when the Missouri State Bears visit the McLeod Center.
