Panthers Rout The Redbirds, 61-35

Sunday, February 14

Normal, Ill.

7 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

15-9, 10-3,MVC

Illinois State

6-17, 4-8MVC

Northern Iowa

Illinois State

Panthers Rout The Redbirds, 61-35

2/14/2016 9:25:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

NORMAL, Ill. – The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team held the Illinois State Redbirds to just 19-percent shooting from the field on Friday night, taking away a 61-35 victory. UNI improved to 15-9 overall and 10-3 in conference play, moving into a three-way tie for first place in the Missouri Valley.

Madison Weekly scored a game-high 23 points, including five made three-pointers. Jen Keitel finished the game with 13 points and nine rebounds, shooting 54-percent from the field.

UNI took its first lead of the game with 4:56 left in the first quarter when the Panthers went 3-for-3 from the field that included four straight points from Stephanie Davison to make it 11-8. UNI turned it into a 8-0 run while holding Illinois State scoreless for over three minutes that included three Redbird turnovers, giving UNI a 15-10 lead.

The Panthers headed into the second quarter with a nine-point advantage and quickly made it a double-digit lead with a three from Amber Sorenson, making it 23-11. Both teams struggled late in the quarter, going a combined 1-for-16 from the field, with UNI holding a 31-15 lead after Hannah Schonhardt scored UNI's first points in over four minutes of play.

UNI headed into halftime with a 33-21 lead, holding Illinois State to just two made field goals in the last six minutes of the second quarter. The Panthers forced six turnovers in that time, giving Illinois State 12 in the first half.

Sorenson gave UNI a 20-point lead with 6:25 remaining in the third quarter, driving in the lane for a layup for a 42-22 lead. Illinois State was able to force four turnovers and a scoring drought on the Panthers late in the quarter, but UNI kept the Redbirds to just seven points and 23-percent shooting to take a 46-28 lead.

Neither team could get into an offensive rhythm in the fourth quarter, but UNI was able to keep the Redbirds at bay, holding them to seven fourth quarter points to pick up its 61-35 win. UNI will return to action on Friday, Feb. 19 when they host Drake at 7 p.m. in the McLeod Center.

Post-Game Notes vs. Illinois State

Amber Sorenson took sole possession of the No. 3 spot all-time at UNI in career threes made. She is sitting with 203, passing Nadine Brandt who had 202 from 1997-2002.
Madison Weekly finished the game against Illinois State with 23 points, her seventh game with 20-or-more this season and her 15^th career game in the 20-point range.
UNI held Illinois State to just 35 points tonight, a season-low for the Redbirds. Its previous season low was 41 points against Loyola on Jan. 24.
With Madison Weekly's 23 points and Jen Keitel's 13, the pair combined to outscore the Redbirds. Illinois State's 35 points was a season-low for the Panthers after also holding Rockhurst to 39 points.
UNI held Illinois State to 19-percent shooting on Friday night, the second consecutive game that UNI has held its opponent to below 30-percent from the field. The Redbirds' low shooting performance was a season-low by a UNI opponent.