Creighton Hands UNI 69-61 Loss

Tuesday, December 22

Omaha, Neb.

6 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

5-6

Creighton

6-6

UNI

Creighton

Creighton Hands UNI 69-61 Loss

12/22/2015 8:16:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

OMAHA, Neb. – The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team fell to the Creighton Bluejays on the road Tuesday night, 69-61. UNI is 5-6 overall this season.

Jen Keitel led the Panthers with 18 points, shooting 9-for-16 from the field while adding six rebounds. Madison Weekly contributed 15 points while Sharnae Lamar chipped in 10 points, three assists and two steals.

The pace of the game started quickly, with both teams trading buckets and UNI tying the score 4-4 after Lamar broke a screen for a mid-range jumper. The Panthers turned it into a 6-0 run on the Bluejays, taking a 10-6 lead with 6:37 left in the first quarter.

Creighton and UNI struggled late in the first quarter, with the Panthers going on a scoring drought that lasted 2:32 before Mikaela Morgan could hit a baseline trey to make it 15-8. The Bluejays were unable to answer, turning the ball over four times over seven minutes of play while going 1-for-10 to give UNI a seven-point advantage heading into the second quarter.

The Bluejays scored the first four points of the second quarter, making it a three-point game at the 7:26 mark. Keitel answered with a deep jumper to put UNI back up by five, but Creighton countered with a big three-pointer and two free throws to tie it 17-17 with 5:37 left in the quarter.

UNI and Creighton continued to trade baskets, with the Bluejays going 3-for-3 from the field to tie the score 22-22 with 4:54 on the clock. The Panthers went scoreless late in the second quarter, going 0-for-6 from the field before Lamar had a reverse layup under the basket to cut the Creighton lead to 27-26. Creighton kept the lead heading into halftime, but Weekly's two free throws with less than a second on the clock made it a one-point game at 31-30.

Creighton was able to take a four-point advantage after both teams exchanged the lead early in the third quarter, but Keitel continued to whittle away with strong post-play, scoring a bucket to make it 40-38 with 4:59 on the clock. The Bluejays kept the pressure coming though, going 4-for-4 from the field to take a 47-41 lead with 3:21 remaining in the quarter.

The Bluejays headed into the final quarter leading 47-42 with both teams going scoreless for the last three minutes of the third quarter, but UNI quickly tied the score 47-47 after the Panthers put in five unanswered points including a steal and a bucket from Lamar at the 8:11 mark. Unfortunately, Creighton had an answer, going on a 13-3 run to take a 10-point lead with less than four minutes to play.

Despite cutting the Bluejay lead to six points with 2:45 on the clock, Creighton was able to pull away and secure a 69-61 win. UNI will return to action in the New Year on Friday, Jan. 1 when they start conference play against Evansville in the McLeod Center.

Post-Game Notes vs. Creighton

Madison Weekly reached the 800-point mark in her career as a Panther against Creighton. She finished with 15 points, giving her 812 overall in the Purple and Old Gold.
UNI had a season-low seven turnovers against Creighton. The Panthers are currently ranked in the top-15 in NCAA Division I basketball in fewest turnovers allowed, only averaging 12.5 per game.
Sharnae Lamar scored a season-high 10 points, adding three dimes and two steals.
True freshman Mikaela Morgan played a career-high 22 minutes against Creighton, scoring five points and coming away with one steal.
With her one three-pointer against Creighton, Madison Weekly has moved into ninth all-time in career threes made, tying Amy Swisher with 125.