University of Northern Iowa
Bradley
Defense Carries UNI to 71-57 Win Over Bradley
1/20/2012 1:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team used a late first-half run and smothering defense to take control and defeat Bradley 71-57 on Friday night in the McLeod Center. The victory improves the Panthers' record to 12-6 overall and 5-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference, moving UNI into sole possession of second place in the league.
UNI recorded a season-high 16 steals and matched a season-high by forcing 27 turnovers. The Panthers' pressure held Bradley to 20-of-59 shooting (33.9 percent). UNI shot 22-of-55 (40 percent) for the game.
Leading 25-24 with 1:30 on the clock before halftime, UNI exploded for an 8-0 run over just 48 seconds, giving the Panthers a 33-24 halftime lead they would not relinquish.
UNI overcame a 49-33 rebounding deficit and double-doubles from Leah Kassing (15 pts, 10 reb) and Kelsey Budd (12 pts, 10 reb) to secure the victory. The Panthers also battled foul trouble, with Mercedees Morgan and Amber Kirschbaum each fouling out. Morgan played a season-low 10 minutes and fouled out with 10:05 remaining in the game.
Senior guard K.K. Armstrong turned in another tremendous all-around performance, pouring in 25 points, making eight steals, and grabbing seven rebounds. Armstrong's 25 points were one short of her career-high, and her eight steals were a new career-best. In fact, Armstrong was only one steal shy of matching the UNI single-game record of nine set by Allison Starr in 1999.
Junior forward Amber Kirschbaum carried the UNI offense early, as she started 5-of-5 from the floor on her way to 13 first-half points and 15 for the game.
Redshirt freshman guard Brooke Brown came off the bench to play a career-high 32 minutes. Brown tallied 12 points, doubling her previous career-best, and also recorded five rebounds and three steals.
After falling behind 13-7 nearly seven minutes into the contest, UNI made its way back into the game and took a 16-15 lead on a jumper by Kirschbaum with 7:17 left in the half. The Panthers stretched their lead to 25-18 over the next three minutes, but Bradley responded with a 6-0 run to close the gap to 25-24 with 1:49 left before halftime.
With the lead cut to one, Kirschbaum converted a traditional three-point play, Armstrong made a quick steal and a layup, and then Armstrong made a three-point play of her own. Over 48 seconds, UNI expanded its lead from one point to nine, and the Panthers led 33-24 at the break.
Bradley was able to cut the UNI lead to six at 44-38 with 14 minutes left in the game, but the Panthers responded with a three-pointer from Brown, a jumper from Armstrong and a bucket from Mercedees Morgan to go up 13 points at 51-38. The Braves could not get within 10 points the rest of the way, as UNI held on for the 71-57 victory.
UNI will return to action when it travels to Omaha, Neb., for a showdown with the Creighton Bluejays on Fri., Jan. 27. Tip is set for 7 p.m.
NOTES: K.K. Armstrong has led the Panthers in rebounding for three straight games, averaging nine rebounds over those three contests ... Armstrong's eight steals are tied for the most in a game this season by a Missouri Valley Conference player ... Armstrong now owns 148 career steals, just four shy of entering the UNI career top-10 list ... Armstrong's 25 point-performance was the fourth time in her career that she's scored 25 or more ... Armstrong jumped from 20th-place to 15th-place on the UNI all-time scoring leaderboard ... before tonight's 32-minute, 12-point performance, Brooke Brown's previous career highs were 17 minutes and 6 points ... all three of Brown's made field goals were three-pointers ... with seven minutes remaining in the first half, Amber Kirschbaum was 5-of-5 shooting and the rest of the Panthers were a combined 0-for-14.
