Panthers Drop Overtime Decision to Salukis

Friday, January 5

Carbondale, Illinois

6 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

6-8, 2-1MVC

Southern Illinois

8-6, 3-0MVC

OT 1

Northern Iowa

Southern Illinois

Panthers Drop Overtime Decision to Salukis

1/5/2018 9:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

FINAL STATS

CARBONDALE, Illinois – In a back-and-forth affair that was decided by overtime, the University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team (6-8, 2-1 MVC) dropped a tough, 60-53, decision to Southern Illinois (8-6, 3-0 MVC) as the Panthers fell in the battle of Missouri Valley Conference unbeatens.

The Panthers led 52-51 with 3:15 remaining in the overtime period, but the Salukis rattled off a 9-1 run to close out the game and defeat UNI.

Redshirt sophomore Rose Simon-Ressler scored 16 points to lead UNI, while fellow sophomore Megan Maahs posted another double-double after scoring 15 points and snagging 13 rebounds. The double-double for Maahs was her MVC-leading sixth of the season. SIU's Makenzie Silvey was the game's leading scorer, with 17 on the night.

The Salukis held the Panthers to just one made 3-pointer on 19 attempts, while making five shots from beyond-the-arc on their own.

The Panthers fell behind early to the Salukis 13-12, but Maahs scored six points to open the second quarter and put UNI ahead 20-15. The Salukis responded with a 7-0 run to close out the half however, as SIU retook the lead at 22-20 heading into the locker room.

The defensive battle continued into the second half, but the Panthers fought back to retake the lead at 32-31 midway through the third quarter after a layup underneath by Simon-Ressler. Much like the first half however, the Salukis had an answer as SIU raced back to recapture the lead at 37-36 entering the fourth quarter.

A five-point spurt from Ellie Howell propelled a 9-3 run for UNI in the final period as the Panthers clawed back momentum and the lead. UNI held a 49-47 lead with only 40 seconds to play, but SIU's Kylie Giebelhausen made a pair of free throws to even the score at 49 and send the game into overtime.

With the score tied at 53 with only 2:14 remaining in the overtime period, the lead would change hands for the final time on Friday night as SIU's Silvey knocked home a 3-pointer to set in motion a 7-0 run and seal the 60-53 victory.

UP NEXT
The Panthers cap the road swing on Sunday against Missouri State at 2 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

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Panthers.
The overtime contest was UNI's second of the season, with the Panthers dropping both.
The 20-point first half for UNI was its second-lowest of the season.
The double-figure scoring effort for sophomore Megan Maahs was her team-leading 10th of the season.
Maahs now has six double-doubles on the season and seven for her career.
Fellow sophomore Rose Simon-Ressler earned her second double-figure scoring effort of the season.