University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Drake
Madrigal's Heroics Lift UNI to 82-77 Overtime Win at Drake
1/29/2012 1:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Rachel Madrigal scored a career-high 26 points, including a three-pointer with six seconds remaining to force overtime and lift the University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team to an 82-77 victory at Drake on Sunday afternoon. UNI trailed 64-58 with one minute to play before closing regulation with a 10-4 run that sent the game to overtime.
After Madrigal forced overtime with her three-pointer from the corner, she scored the first five points of the overtime period and built a lead the Panthers would hold onto the rest of the way. For the game, Madrigal shot 10-of-15 from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. She also led UNI with nine rebounds, four blocks and four steals.
Three other Panthers scored in double digits. Senior guard K.K. Armstrong had 17, Katelin Oney tallied 16, and Amber Kirschbaum added 14 points.
UNI (13-7, 6-3 MVC) overcame a 47.6-percent shooting effort by Drake and a 44-35 rebounding deficit. The Panthers attempted a season-high 33 three-pointers, making eight. UNI forced Drake into 22 turnovers.
Drake (11-9, 5-4 MVC) was led by Rachael Hackbarth's 22 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
UNI owned a 33-27 halftime lead after closing the period with four points by Armstrong in the final 31 seconds. Armstrong took a fast-break pass from Mercedees Morgan and raced in for a layup to beat the buzzer.
The Panthers stretched their lead to 11 at 38-27 just 1:09 into the second half, but Drake battled back to eventually tie the game at 50-50 with 7:50 remaining. The Bulldogs and Panthers tied it up again at 57-57 with five minutes to play. From that point, Drake used a 7-1 run to build its 64-58 lead with one minute on the clock.
UNI stayed alive with a conventional three-point play from Madrigal and two free throws apiece from Kirschbaum and Armstrong. Down 68-65 with 21 seconds remaining, Oney missed a three-point attempt, but Armstrong grabbed the offensive rebound and found Madrigal in the corner for a game-tying three.
In overtime, UNI raced out to a 73-68 lead on another three-point play and a layup by Madrigal. Drake got no closer than three points the rest of the way, and UNI put up 14 overtime points to seal the victory.
Madrigal played 45 minutes, scoring 19 of her points in the second half and overtime. Armstrong and Morgan each dished out five assists in the victory.
UNI will host Southern Illinois on Thurs., Feb. 2, at 7 p.m. in the McLeod Center.
