University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Northern Illinois
UNI Posts Comeback Victory over NIU, 66-64
12/21/2013 1:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
DEKALB, Ill. – The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team closed out the non-conference season with a big victory over Northern Illinois, defeating the Huskies in the last two seconds of the game off a layup from Brittni Donaldson to seal the 66-64 win.
With 2:05 remaining in the game, Hannah Schonhardt knocked in her third three-pointer of the game to tie the score 62-62. UNI took its first lead of the game with 30 seconds on the clock when Stephanie Davison converted on two free throws to make the score 64-62.
Northern Illinois scored with 24 seconds left to tie the game 64-64. The Panthers came out of the timeout huddle to run one last play, finding Brittni Donaldson streaking through the lane and converting on a layup to give UNI the win.
Schonhardt led the Panthers with a career-high 24 points and added seven rebounds. Jen Keitel finished with nine points and Donaldson added eight second half points to the UNI total.
The Panthers were held scoreless by Northern Illinois until Keitel hit a turnaround jumper at the 16:42 mark in the first half. NIU went on to hold a 6-2 lead heading into the first media timeout after Amanda Corral hit a jumper of her own.
Moran Lonning knocked down a three-pointer to give the Panthers just its second field goal of the game with 12:48 left in the first half, giving UNI an offensive spark. Schonhardt followed it up with a layup after a pass through the lane from Keitel to make the score 12-7.
Keitel showed her strength by going up for hard, contested layups two plays in a row and converting on both, scoring five straight points to cut the NIU lead to 18-16 with less than five minutes to play in the half.
UNI cut the NIU lead to just one point with 4:21 left in the half after Erin Dohnalek hit a three-pointer, but NIU was able to follow with a 10-0 run on UNI to make the score 30-1. Schonhardt ended the NIU run by scoring six straight points for the Panthers, sending UNI into halftime down 32-25.
Donaldson opened up the second half hitting back-to-back three-pointers to put UNI within three points of the Huskies to make the score 34-31. Keitel then cut the Husky lead to two points with 14:23 left in the game after fighting through the lane for a jump shot to give the game a score of 38-36.
Northern Illinois was able to go on a 10-1 run on the Panthers to take a 50-39 lead after Alexis Lindstrom capped off the run with a three-pointer. Schonhardt ended the NIU run by cutting down the baseline for a layup, pushing her into double figures.
The Panthers were within four points of the Huskies with 4:49 left in the game after S. Davison hit a three-pointer to make the score 60-56. Northern Illinois then went down for a quick jumper, but Schonhardt answered with another basket to cut the NIU lead to 62-58.
The Panthers were then able to take the lead off of S. Davison's free throws and eventually grabbed the victory after Donaldson's layup, giving UNI a 66-64 win and an overall record of 4-7.
Post-Game Notes vs. Northern Illinois
Brittni Donaldson notched her first start of the season against the Huskies. She now has 21 starts for the Panthers in her career.
Brittni Donaldson finished with a season-high 30 minutes against Northern Illinois.
Angie Davison grabbed a career-high two steals against NIU. She played a career-high 13 minutes and knocked down her first career free throw.
Hannah Schonhardt reached double figures for the fourth time this season. She finished with a career-high 24 against Northern Illinois.
