Rucker Scores 28 to Spur Panthers to 76-67 Win

Sunday, March 3

Carbondale, Ill.

2 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

18-10, 11-5MVC

Southern Illinois University

13-14, 6-10MVC

Northern Iowa

Southern Illinois

Rucker Scores 28 to Spur Panthers to 76-67 Win

3/3/2019 4:57:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Karli Rucker scored a career-high 28 points including six made three-pointers to lead UNI to a 76-67 win over Southern Illinois in the final road game of the regular season Sunday afternoon.

The Panthers took a 4-0 lead with back to back buckets from Rucker to start the game and never looked back. UNI led 17-11 after the first quarter and 32-26 at the half.

Rucker scored 16 of her 26 after the break and spurred the Panthers to a 44-point second half. The Panthers held Southern Illinois at arm's length for the remainder of the game and closed out the nine-point win after going 12-12 from the free throw line in the final 2:06 of the game.

Taylor Hagen and Mikaela Morgan also scored in double figures. Hagen was 5-8 from the field for 13 points while Morgan went 8-8 from the free throw line en route to 10 points.

UNI was 22-46 (47.8 percent) from the field and 10-24 (41.7 percent) from the three-point line. The Panthers were also 22-23 (95.7 percent) from the free throw line.

With the win, UNI is 18-10 overall and 11-5 in Missouri Valley play, a game ahead of Bradley. The Panthers face the Braves Thursday in the second to last regular season game of the year.

NOTES
- Karli Rucker has now scored 20 or more points in seven games this season.
- Rucker's 28 points is a career-high topping her previous best of 25 which happened twice on Nov. 9 against Delaware and on Feb. 15 against Drake.
- Her six three-pointers made is a career-high.
- Rose Simon-Ressler returned to the lineup for the first time since going down with an injury on Jan. 11 against Valpo. She scored two points in limited action during her return.
- The Panthers were 22-23 from the free throw line. It is the third time this season that the Panthers made 20 or more free throws.

UP NEXT
The Panthers host a pair of games at the McLeod Center to close out the regular season. Currently sitting at No. 3 in the standings, the Panthers host No. 4 Bradley Thursday at 7 p.m. and No. 4 Illinois State Saturday at 2 p.m. for senior day.