UNI Falls to UND Despite Kirkpatrick’s Career-Night

Saturday, December 2

Grand Forks, N.D.

2 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

2-5

North Dakota

4-2

UNI

North Dakota

UNI Falls to UND Despite Kirkpatrick’s Career-Night

12/2/2017 6:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

FINAL STATS

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team (2-5) pushed North Dakota (4-2) to its limits on Saturday afternoon, but the Panthers couldn't claim a road victory over the Hawks after falling, 80-72.

The Panthers trailed by one a point with 1:19 remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Hawks went on an 8-1 run to close out the game with an 80-72 victory. UNI fell to 2-5 with the loss, while UND improved to 4-2 on the season.

Senior Kennedy Kirkpatrick led the Panthers with a career-high 21 points, notching 13 of those in the first half. The guard also snagged one rebound and dealt six assists, while shooting a perfect five-for-five from the charity stripe. Abby Gerrits and Heidi Hillyard joined Kirkpatrick in double-figures, after each scored 10 for the game.

The Panthers and Fighting Hawks were nearly identical shooting the ball, with UNI going 27-of-62 from the field, while UND shot 26-of-62. However, the defining difference came from the free-throw line, where the Hawks made 24 free throws compared to the Panthers' nine.

To begin the game, the Panthers started on fire as sophomore Megan Maahs and Kirkpatrick posted five points each, to give the Panthers a 19-18 lead at the end of the first quarter. UNI remained hot on offensive in the second quarter, as the Panther shooting percentage rose to 64% before taking a 41-37 lead into halftime.

The Hawks shifted momentum after going on a 9-0 run in the third quarter, to take a 59-54 lead over the Panthers. UND held on to its lead into the fourth quarter, but the Panthers did not relent as UNI came within a point of the Hawks following a 3-pointer by Riley Wheatcraft with a 2:24 remaining. The Hawks closed the game on an 8-1 run however, to hang on for the 80-72 victory.

UP NEXT
UNI caps its six-game road swing with Nebraska-Omaha on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m., before heading back home to face Wisconsin-Parkside on Sunday, Dec. 10 at 1 p.m. CT.

TICKETS
Fans can purchase season and single-game tickets to UNI women's basketball home games through UNITIX. Call 319-273-4849 or visit www.UNITIX.uni.edu.

SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on the UNI women's basketball program, follow the Panthers on Twitter at "@UNIWBB" and on Facebook at "UNI Women's Basketball."

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Kennedy Kirkpatrick's 21 points was a career-high.
The 10-point performances for Abby Gerrits and Heidi Hillyard were season-highs.
Riley Wheatcraft's timely 3-pointer in the fourth quarter was her first basket as a Panther.
The game for Wheatcraft was the freshman's first at UNI as well.
Junior Dariann Garrison-Nickerson played a career-high 14 minutes.