University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
12-4 (5-0MVC)
Illinois State
4-11 (1-3MVC)
UNI Runs Past The Redbirds, 78-40
1/13/2017 9:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NORMAL, Ill. – The University of Northern Iowa turned in a balanced game Friday night against Illinois State, defeating the Redbirds 78-40 with 12 different players scoring at least one point. UNI improved to 12-4 overall and 5-0 in Missouri Valley Conference play.
UNI was led in points by Abby Gerrits and Ellie Herzberg, who both scored 11 points each. Heidi Hillyard scored a career-high nine points, adding five rebounds while Mikaela Morgan chipped in eight points. Megan Maahs led the Panthers in rebounds with nine, also finishing with three assists, two blocks and two steals.
UNI started the game on a 25-0 run with nine different players scoring in the first quarter. Illinois State didn't score its first field goal of the game until 54 seconds left in the quarter, going just 1-of-13 to start the game.
The Panthers ended up scoring a season-high 50 points in the first half, going on multiple runs in the second quarter to keep its dominant lead. UNI at one point held a 39-point lead against Illinois State with 1:05 left to play in the second quarter, heading into halftime up 50-11.
UNI ended the first half with 21 made field goals on 16 assists and only five turnovers with Illinois State only scoring three field goals with 15 turnovers. The Panthers had 12 players see action in the first half with 11 scoring at least one point, including eight from Morgan and seven each from Hillyard, Herzberg and Gerrits.
The Redbirds cooled the Panthers off to start the third quarter, going on an 11-0 run to start, cutting the UNI lead to 52-24 with 4:57 remaining. UNI started the third quarter 0-for-7 from the field, but quickly got out of the funk by going on a 6-0 run. UNI headed into the final quarter of the game up 64-31, despite being outscored in the third 20-14.
The Panthers were able to keep the Redbirds at a safe distance in the fourth quarter, holding the Redbirds to just 5-percent shooting from the floor while UNI went a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe. UNI went on an 8-0 run with less than a minute to play in the game before walking away with the 78-40 win.
UNI returns to action on Sunday, Jan. 15 when they take on Bradley at 2 p.m. CT. The game will air live on ESPN3. Fans can also listen in on the action on UNIPanthers.com or follow along with live stats.
Post-Game Notes vs. Illinois State
- Redshirt freshman Heidi Hillyard scored a career-high nine points while true freshman Abby Gerrits scored a career-high 11 points.
- The Panthers shot a season-high 94-percent from the free throw line, shooting 15-of-16. Madison Weekly (2-2), Ellie Herzberg (2-2), Dariann Garrison-Nickerson (2-2), Kennedy Kirkpatrick (2-2), Taylor Hagen (2-2) and Abby Gerrits (4-4) all went perfect from the free throw line.
- UNI held Illinois State to just one field goal in the first quarter, giving them a 25-point lead heading into the second. It was the smallest point total by an opponent in a quarter against the Panthers this season.
- The Panthers had 16 assists on 21 made field goals in the first half. UNI's 50 first half points is the most points in a single half by the Panthers this season, also scoring 49 in the second half against Southern Illinois (1/6).
- 10 of UNI's 13 players scored in the first half with 12 players scoring at least one point through the whole game.
- UNI held Illinois State scoreless from the arc in the first half, the fifth time the Panthers have kept their opponents to zero three-point field goals in a single half.
- Despite holding Madison Weekly to below double-digits for the first time in 16 games, the Panthers still outscored the Redbirds in paint points (42-14) and dominated in points off the bench (47-4).
