University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Friday, March 13
Moline, Ill.
2:30 p.m.
University of Northern Iowa
vs
Illinois State
UNI Women's Hoops Opens MVC Tournament Friday vs Illinois State
3/11/2020 4:13:00 PM | Women's Basketball
UNI women's basketball meets Illinois State in the quarterfinals of Hoops in the Heartland. The Panthers enter the weekend after winning three of their last four games, including a 13-point win over Drake on Senior Day in Cedar Falls. UNI meets a redbird team that is on a four-game win streak that started with a win over Missouri State on Feb. 27.
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• All-Conference teams were revealed earlier this week. UNI's Karli Rucker was named First-Team All-MVC and was named to the Scholar Second-Team. Megan Maahs and Kristina Cavey were named Honorable Mention All Scholar Team.
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• Karli Rucker leads UNI at 13.7 points per game.  Kam Finley is second on the team with 9.9 points per game. Megan Maahs is third on the team with 9.2 PPG. Bre Gunnels leads with the team with 6.4 rebounds per game and Megan Maahs averages 5.2 RPG. Rucker leads the Panthers with 106 assists. Gunnels leads UNI with 30 blocks so far this season.
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• Illinois State enters the weekend averaging 70.2 points per game and are ranked 42nd in the NCAA in field goal percentage at 43.8%. Lexi Wallen and Tete Maggett were named to the All-Conference First Team. Wakkeb averages 17.2 points per game while Maggett score 15.1.
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• The Panthers closed out MVC play with a 10-8 record. It is the 12th consecutive season that the Panthers have finished above .500, the longest active streak in MVC Hoops, men or women. Â
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• UNI closed non-conference play with the most non-conference wins in school history (8), three wins over Power-Five Schools and an undefeated home record. The Panthers defeated No. 20 Iowa 88-66.
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• The Panthers are ranked 17th in the NCAA in free-throw percentage at 77.2%. UNI is also 29th in the NCAA with 8.1 three-pointers made per game.
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• UNI has played in the postseason in nine of the last 10 seasons, including an appearance in the WNIT in 2019 where the Panthers met Minnesota in the first round.
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• UNI played five games against Power-Five Opponents, the most among Missouri Valley Conference teams. The Panthers went 3-2 with wins over Iowa, Iowa State and Missouri.
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• Depth has been a theme for the Panthers. Ten UNI players average more than 13.2 minutes of playing time per game. No player averages more than 30.3 minutes per game. Nine players score 4.7 or more points per game and seven players have led UNI in scoring for at least one game.
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• Against Loyola, Karli Rucker went to the line with 6:15 to play in the game and hit two free throws for her 1,000th and 1,001st career points. She becomes the 25th Panther to join the 1,000-point club. She now has 1,030 career points which puts her 23rd on the all-time list.
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• All-Conference teams were revealed earlier this week. UNI's Karli Rucker was named First-Team All-MVC and was named to the Scholar Second-Team. Megan Maahs and Kristina Cavey were named Honorable Mention All Scholar Team.
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• Karli Rucker leads UNI at 13.7 points per game.  Kam Finley is second on the team with 9.9 points per game. Megan Maahs is third on the team with 9.2 PPG. Bre Gunnels leads with the team with 6.4 rebounds per game and Megan Maahs averages 5.2 RPG. Rucker leads the Panthers with 106 assists. Gunnels leads UNI with 30 blocks so far this season.
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• Illinois State enters the weekend averaging 70.2 points per game and are ranked 42nd in the NCAA in field goal percentage at 43.8%. Lexi Wallen and Tete Maggett were named to the All-Conference First Team. Wakkeb averages 17.2 points per game while Maggett score 15.1.
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• The Panthers closed out MVC play with a 10-8 record. It is the 12th consecutive season that the Panthers have finished above .500, the longest active streak in MVC Hoops, men or women. Â
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• UNI closed non-conference play with the most non-conference wins in school history (8), three wins over Power-Five Schools and an undefeated home record. The Panthers defeated No. 20 Iowa 88-66.
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• The Panthers are ranked 17th in the NCAA in free-throw percentage at 77.2%. UNI is also 29th in the NCAA with 8.1 three-pointers made per game.
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• UNI has played in the postseason in nine of the last 10 seasons, including an appearance in the WNIT in 2019 where the Panthers met Minnesota in the first round.
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• UNI played five games against Power-Five Opponents, the most among Missouri Valley Conference teams. The Panthers went 3-2 with wins over Iowa, Iowa State and Missouri.
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• Depth has been a theme for the Panthers. Ten UNI players average more than 13.2 minutes of playing time per game. No player averages more than 30.3 minutes per game. Nine players score 4.7 or more points per game and seven players have led UNI in scoring for at least one game.
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• Against Loyola, Karli Rucker went to the line with 6:15 to play in the game and hit two free throws for her 1,000th and 1,001st career points. She becomes the 25th Panther to join the 1,000-point club. She now has 1,030 career points which puts her 23rd on the all-time list.
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Players Mentioned
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