Bears Nose Past Panthers, 57-52

Friday, February 2

Cedar Falls, Iowa

7 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

10-11 (6-4MVC)

Missouri State (Karaoke Friday)

12-9 (8-2MVC)

Missouri State

UNI

Bears Nose Past Panthers, 57-52

2/2/2018 9:38:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

FINAL STATS

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team (10-11, 6-4 MVC) was edged out by Missouri State (12-9, 8-2 MVC) at the McLeod Center on Friday night as the Panthers dropped their first home contest in league play this season.

The score was knotted up at 46-46 with 7:17 remaining in the game, but MSU scored seven points from the charity stripe to pull away in the final minutes. The Bears improved to 12-9 overall and 8-2 in MVC play, while the Panthers dropped to 10-11 and 6-4 in league action.

Junior Ellie Howell led the Panthers in scoring once again, after chipping in 11 on the night. Senior Kennedy Kirkpatrick and sophomore Abby Gerrits each added 10 points to round out double-figure scoring for UNI.

The Panthers shot 43.8% from the floor but were doomed by a 27.3% shooting effort in the fourth quarter. MSU earned 19 trips to the charity stripe as well, while UNI only visited the line six times for the game. The Panthers committed 20 turnovers on Friday, to only 15 for the Bears.

After trading buckets early, the Panthers found their shot from long range as Gerrits knocked down a pair of 3-pointers followed by a trey from Kirkpatrick to spur on a 9-0 run for UNI. MSU quickly erased UNI's 17-11 lead in the second quarter, as the Bears responded with a 16-2 run to open the period. The Panthers battled back to score the next eight points to halt the Bears as the two squads entered halftime tied at 27.

The Panthers kept up the hot shooting coming out of the locker room as Howell scored five quick points to extend UNI's 13-0 run stretching back to the second quarter. The two squads battled neck-and-neck throughout the third quarter, until Rose Simon-Ressler broke the tie with a trey to give the Panthers a three-point advantage heading into the final quarter.

MSU outscored UNI 17-9 in the fourth quarter, as the Bears edged out the Panthers down the stretch. UNI scored the only field goal in the final 4:30 of the game, but it was futile as MSU scored seven points from the charity stripe to earn the 57-52 victory.

UP NEXT
The Panthers continue their homestand on Sunday as UNI hosts Southern Illinois at 2 p.m. CT.

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

UNI has lost its last three games to Missouri State.
The Panthers were outrebounded for just the sixth time this season, after the Bears earned a 33-32 advantage.
Junior Ellie Howell earned her team-best 12^th game in double figures, after scoring 11 on Friday night.
Howell has earned eight of her 12 double-figure games in MVC action.
Sophomore Abby Gerrits scored her third double-figure game of the season.
Attendance for Friday night's game was 1,406.