Sunday, January 8
Cedar Falls, Iowa
2 PM
University of Northern Iowa
vs
Belmont University
UNI women's basketball to host Belmont in the programs first matchup
1/7/2023 1:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball
UNI women's basketball vs. Belmont
UNI will welcome another Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) newcomer to the McLeod Center this weekend. The Panthers will host the Belmont Bruins for the first time in program history, as the Bruins joined the Valley from the OVC over the summer with Murray State. UNI will face the final MVC newcomers, UIC, later this month at the McLeod Center.Â
THE PANTHERS:
- UNI continues to thrive in the Missouri Valley Conference season with another double-digit win. The Panthers downed newcomers Murray State with a big second quarter, winning their first home MVC game 81-54.
- The Panthers continue to match records from the 2017 MVC season.in 2023. UNI is now 3-0 in Valley action for the first time since then. The Panthers will likely hope to match their 2017 record of seven-straight wins to begin conference play.
- UNI has used a big offensive quarter to win all three of its MVC games this season. Against Bradley, the Panthers had a 34-9 third quarter. At Illinois State, UNI outscored the Redbirds 20-5 in the second quarter while also having a big second quarter against Murray State.
• With her fifth double-double of the season against Murray State, forward Grace Boffeli again leads the Valley in double-doubles. Along with leading the MVC, Boffeli is 43rd in the nation for season double-doubles. Boffeli also leads the MVC in rebounds per game, averaging 8.8 boards in a contest.Â
THE BRUINS:
- Belmont enters Sunday's game with a 6-8 overall record and a 2-1 MVC record. The Bruins lost their first contest in Valley play on Friday night against Drake at the Knapp Center. The 30+ point loss was Belmont's largest losing margin since Nov. 30, 2019.Â
- The Bruins also come to the Missouri Valley Conference from the OVC with Murray State. The MVC is Belmont's fifth conference membership after being members of the OVC, ASUN, the Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference, and the Volunteer State Athletic Conference. The Bruins also spent some time as an athletic department independent from any conference membership in the late 90s and early 00s.
- Belmont is on the road for the first time in almost a month while visiting Iowa. The Bruins had a three-game home stand to end 2022 and begin 2023, winning all three games at home.Â
- The Bruins are led by All-MVC preseason selection Destinee Wells. Wells averages 16.6 points a game, along with 4.2 assists. Belmont has three other players averaging in double-figures, forward Madison Bartley, guard Tuti Jones, and guard Sydni Harvey. While the Bruins have four averaging in double-figures, Jones has not played a game since early December.Â
- 2 p.m. | Jan. 8
- Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center (6,500)
- ESPN+ | Brad Wells: Play-by-play, Eric Braley: Analyst
- KXEL | Chris Kleinhaus-Schulz: Play-by-play
UNI will welcome another Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) newcomer to the McLeod Center this weekend. The Panthers will host the Belmont Bruins for the first time in program history, as the Bruins joined the Valley from the OVC over the summer with Murray State. UNI will face the final MVC newcomers, UIC, later this month at the McLeod Center.Â
THE PANTHERS:
- UNI continues to thrive in the Missouri Valley Conference season with another double-digit win. The Panthers downed newcomers Murray State with a big second quarter, winning their first home MVC game 81-54.
- The Panthers continue to match records from the 2017 MVC season.in 2023. UNI is now 3-0 in Valley action for the first time since then. The Panthers will likely hope to match their 2017 record of seven-straight wins to begin conference play.
- UNI has used a big offensive quarter to win all three of its MVC games this season. Against Bradley, the Panthers had a 34-9 third quarter. At Illinois State, UNI outscored the Redbirds 20-5 in the second quarter while also having a big second quarter against Murray State.
• With her fifth double-double of the season against Murray State, forward Grace Boffeli again leads the Valley in double-doubles. Along with leading the MVC, Boffeli is 43rd in the nation for season double-doubles. Boffeli also leads the MVC in rebounds per game, averaging 8.8 boards in a contest.Â
THE BRUINS:
- Belmont enters Sunday's game with a 6-8 overall record and a 2-1 MVC record. The Bruins lost their first contest in Valley play on Friday night against Drake at the Knapp Center. The 30+ point loss was Belmont's largest losing margin since Nov. 30, 2019.Â
- The Bruins also come to the Missouri Valley Conference from the OVC with Murray State. The MVC is Belmont's fifth conference membership after being members of the OVC, ASUN, the Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference, and the Volunteer State Athletic Conference. The Bruins also spent some time as an athletic department independent from any conference membership in the late 90s and early 00s.
- Belmont is on the road for the first time in almost a month while visiting Iowa. The Bruins had a three-game home stand to end 2022 and begin 2023, winning all three games at home.Â
- The Bruins are led by All-MVC preseason selection Destinee Wells. Wells averages 16.6 points a game, along with 4.2 assists. Belmont has three other players averaging in double-figures, forward Madison Bartley, guard Tuti Jones, and guard Sydni Harvey. While the Bruins have four averaging in double-figures, Jones has not played a game since early December.Â
Players Mentioned
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