Warren Crosses 200-Win Milestone as Panthers Clip Redbirds

Friday, February 23

Cedar Falls, Iowa

7 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

14-12, 10-5

Illinois State (wear GOLD)

13-14, 7-9

Illinois State

UNI

Warren Crosses 200-Win Milestone as Panthers Clip Redbirds

2/23/2018 9:56:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

FINAL STATS

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Propelled by sophomore Megan Maahs' career-high night, the University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team (14-12, 10-5 MVC) overpowered Illinois State (13-14, 7-9 MVC) with a 66-48 victory as the Panthers capped their season sweep of the Redbirds.

With the victory, head coach Tanya Warren earned her 200th-career win.

"It takes a village, I've been extremely blessed to be surround by amazing people," Warren said following the win. "Coach Brad Nelson has been with me for every single one of them, coach KK Armstrong has played for a lot of them and has now come back to be apart of it as a coach. Coach Steven Fennelly has also been a fantastic addition to our staff."

Warren becomes just the fifth women's basketball coach in MVC history to achieve the feat. Additionally, Warren is the only active women's basketball head coach in the league to have eclipsed the 200-win milestone.

"I can't say enough about our past and present players as well," Warren went on to say about the milestone. "They give everything they have to this program and we would not be where we are without them. I've been extremely blessed."

UNI improves to 14-12 overall and 10-5 in conference play after the 66-48 win, marking the sixth-straight season the Panthers have earned at least 10 victories in the Valley.

Sophomore Megan Maahs earned a career-high 18 points on Friday, after shooting an extremely efficient 7-for-11 from the floor. Junior Ellie Howell and senior Kennedy Kirkpatrick earned 13 and 10 points respectively, rounding out the double-figure scoring for the Panthers.

UNI shot a season-high 52.5% from the floor, while holding ILS to 34.8% on defense. The Panthers were also extremely efficient from the charity stripe, making their first 15 free throws before finishing the game 15-for-16.

The Panthers raced out to an 11-3 lead to open Friday's game, thanks to six quick points from Maahs. The lead would swell to 10 after Howell knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers, but the Redbirds would bounce back and trim the deficit to seven at the end of the period. The two squads battled evenly in the second period, as the gap remained at seven entering halftime.

UNI built a nine-point lead early in the third quarter, but ILS fought back to capture its first lead of the game at 37-36 with 3:57 remaining in the period. The success for ILS would be short lived as UNI not only regained the lead, but pushed its advantage back to seven after a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Mikaela Morgan.

The Panthers continued their run into the fourth quarter, with UNI dominating ILS with a 26-4 lead to take complete control of the contest. With the lead at 61-42, the Panthers coasted to the end of regulation as UNI scored the 66-48 victory from the Redbirds.

UP NEXT
UNI hosts Bradley for its final regular-season game at the McLeod Center on Sunday, with the Panthers and Braves tipping off at 2 p.m. CT. Sunday's contest will serve as Senior Day for Kennedy Kirkpatrick.

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 now won its last 10 contests over Illinois State.
The victory on Friday night secured UNI's sixth-straight season with at least 10 conference wins.
Head coach Tanya Warren now has 200 wins for her career, becoming the only active MVC coach to achieve the feat and just the fifth in league history for women's basketball.
Under head coach Tanya Warren, UNI is now 72-0 when holding an opponent to 50 points or less.
The Panthers shot a season-high 52.5%, marking just the third time this year UNI has shot over 50% for a game.
UNI has now outrebounded 20 foes this season, earning a 13-7 record when doing so.
Sophomore Megan Maahs set a career-high in points, after scoring 18 against the Redbirds on Friday night.
Maahs now ranks third all-time at UNI for most rebounds in a season, with 262 on the year.
Maahs is third all-time at UNI for most defensive rebounds in a season, with 183.
Junior Ellie Howell scored 13 points on Friday, earning her 16th game in double-figures and 12 in MVC play.
Senior Kennedy Kirkpatrick has now scored in double-figures 12 times this year.
Attendance for Friday's game was 1,461.