Rucker Leads UNI Women's Basketball Past Loyola 64-52

Sunday, January 13

Cedar Falls, Iowa

11:30 a.m.

University of Northern Iowa

10-6 (3-1)

Loyola University Chicago

7-7 (1-2)

Loyola

UNI

Rucker Leads UNI Women's Basketball Past Loyola 64-52

1/13/2019 2:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Karli Rucker scored the first seven points of the game en route to a 23-point performance to lead UNI to a 64-52 win over Loyola in Missouri Valley Conference action Sunday at the McLeod Center.

The Panthers started the game with a 9-0 run and led 22-12 after the first quarter. UNI shot 9-12 (75 percent) from the field in the first frame and was 2-2 from the three-point line.

The Ramblers cut the UNI advantage to 32-26 at the half, but the Panthers started the third quarter with another 9-0 run to build a 41-26 lead before Loyola began to chip away.

The Ramblers went on an 8-1 run in the fourth quarter to cut the UNI advantage to 55-47, but Ellie Howell hit a three-pointer with 4:52 to play to break up the rally. The Panthers outscored Loyola 9-5 the rest of the way to close out the 12-point win.

Rucker notched her second double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds. She also added a pair of assists and two steals. Howell added 11 points and Mikaela Morgan scored 13 points on 5-5 shooting from the field.

The Panthers were 23-53 (43.4 percent) from the field and 4-8 (50 percent) from the three-point line. They turned the ball over just nine times while notching 11 assists on 23 made shots. Loyola was 20-54 (37.7 percent) from the field and 5-14 (35.7 percent) from the three-point line. UNI outrebounded the Ramblers 35-29.

The win moves UNI to 3-1 in MVC play and 10-6 overall. Loyola falls to 7-7 and 1-2 in league play.

PLAYER OF THE GAME…
Karli Rucker was just two points off of her career high. She scored the first seven points of the game and had as many points in the first quarter as the entire Loyola squad (12). She was productive across the board with 23 points, 10 board, two assists and two steals.

PLAY OF THE GAME…
Loyola had the momentum and had cut the lead to eight with just under five to play when Heidi Hillyard drove the right side of the lane and found Ellie Howell open for the baseline three-pointer. The shot put to bed any hopes of a Rambler comeback.

STAT OF THE GAME…
The Panthers gave up a season-low nine turnovers in the win. A problem early in the year, the Panthers tallied 15 or fewer turnovers in each of the last five games.

NOTES
- The performance was Rucker's fifth 20-point performance of the season. She is the only Panther to score more than 20 a game this year.
- The double-double was her second of the year. She is tied with Megan Maahs for the most for UNI this season.
- Mikaela Morgan was perfect in every shooting category. She was 5-5 from the field, 1-1 from the three-point line and 2-2 from the charity stripe. She also played 29 minutes without recording a foul.
- UNI was 13-26 (50 percent) from the field in the first half and 9-12 (75 percent) in the first quarter.
- The Panthers scored the first nine points of both halves.
- UNI has now won six straight and 10 of the last 11 against Loyola.

UP NEXT
The Panthers face Drake on Friday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. at the McLeod Center. The two teams were picked one and two in the MVC preseason poll and neither looks to be backing away from the rankings. Drake is undefeated in league play and 11-4 overall while the Panthers were the second team to pick up its third win and is second among MVC teams in the RPI despite losing preseason all-conference honoree Megan Maahs. The battle for in-state bragging rights begins at 7 p.m. Friday.