University of Northern Iowa
Wichita State
WBB Falls Short In Tough Battle Against WSU, 60-57
1/12/2013 1:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jacqui Kalin led the Panthers in scoring with 22 points which included 11 free throws. Jess McDowell added nine points and Amber Kirschbaum led the team in rebounds with seven.
UNI fell behind early when Wichita State took a 12-5 lead heading into the first media timeout with 15:50 left in the first half. Shocker Jazimen Gordon shot perfect from the field in the first four minutes of the game hitting all three of her jump shots.
McDowell swung the momentum UNI's way with a three-pointer at the 15:09 mark making the score 12-8. The UNI defense was able to force two turnovers on the next two Wichita State possessions and transition into another three-pointer from McDowell, making the score 12-11.
Wichita State went on a 6-0 run with 12:44 left in the first half that was started off a layup from Kelsey Jacobs. Kalin was able to interrupt the run with two free throws, but the Shockers were able to hit a three-pointer on their next play to give themselves the lead of 21-13.
Stephanie Davison cut the Shocker lead to five after breaking off a screen for an open three-point shot making the score 30-25 with less than five minutes left in the half. Hannah Schonhardt notched her fourth point of the game off a pass under the basket from Sharnae Lamar to make the score 32-27 with 3:47 left on the clock.
Wichita State went into the half with a lead of 37-30. The Panthers shot 33 percent from the field in the first half with Kalin recording 10 points.
The Shockers took a 13-point lead to open the second half after Jazimen Gordon converted on a jump shot. Brittni Donaldson scored her and the Panthers' first points of the half on the next play off a jumper to make the score 43-32 with 17:34 left in the game.
Kalin cut the lead to 10 points with 14:39 on the clock off a three-pointer to make the score 45-35. On the next play Kalin grabbed a defensive rebound and found Kirschbaum under the basket for an easy layup, cutting the lead to single digits and making the score 45-37.
McDowell hit her third three-pointer of the night with 11:48 left in the game to cut the lead to 49-42. After two free throws from Kalin, Lamar scored her first two points of the game at a pivotal moment to cut the Wichita State lead to three points and make the score 49-46 with 8:37 on the clock.
Wichita State took a 53-48 lead with 6:19 left in the game off of two free throws from Alex Harden. They converted on two more free throws and a jumper from Harden to make the score 57-49 with less than three minutes left in the game.
Kalin was able to cut the lead to six points with 2:24 on the clock off two free throws, making the score 57-51. Kalin got a steal on the next play that transitioned to her going coast to coast for a layup to cut the Shocker lead to 57-53.
Jen Keitel hit a big free throw to cut the lead to three points and then on the other end of the court forced the Shockers to a turnover to give UNI possession with 49 seconds left in the game. Lamar then drove down the court with 25 seconds left on the clock for a layup to make the score 57-56.
The Panthers had to foul right after the ball was inbounded and the Shockers converted two free throws to increase their lead to 59-56. Brooke Brown was able to hit one of her free throws after a scramble for the loose ball resulted in a foul, but the Panthers were unable to finish their final shot and fell 60-57.
UNI will return to action Jan. 18 when they travel to Peoria, Ill. to take on Bradley. The game is set to tip-off at 7:00 p.m.
