University of Northern Iowa
2-9,1-1MVC
Evansville
2-11,0-2MVC
Panthers open 2024 with a victory over Purple Aces
1/4/2024 8:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The UNI women’s basketball team snapped a nine-game skid with an 82-52 victory inside the McLeod Center.
CEDAR FALLS. --- UNI women's basketball opened 2024 with a matchup against the Purple Aces of the University of Evansville. The Panthers' second conference matchup of the season saw a dominant display inside the McLeod Center which pushed them to an 82-52 victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UNI opened the matchup with a pair of threes to take a 6-0 lead with just under three minutes gone in the first quarter. Emerson Green drilled the first just 45 seconds into the contest and Rachael Heittola followed later in the frame. Evansville scored their first points on a three-pointer to end the Panther run. A 10-point Northern Iowa run fueled by back-to-back layups from Ryley Goebel pushed the Panthers to a 16-3 lead before the Purple Aces ended the run with a pair of free throws with just under five minutes remaining in the quarter.
Back-and-forth buckets from both teams saw UNI hold a 25-11 lead heading into the second quarter. Goebel had four of the nine points for the Panthers in the sequence.
It was all UNI to open the second quarter as the Panthers held the Purple Aces scoreless for over five and a half minutes to open the frame. In that time, Northern Iowa racked up 10 points from four different scorers. Evansville ended its scoring drought with a three-pointer at 4:28 in the second quarter. The Purple Aces followed that up with their only other points of the quarter on a layup.
Eight more Panther points fell to end the second quarter with UNI on top in dominant fashion, 43-16.
Evansville opened the third quarter with a three-pointer and jump shot to start the frame on a 5-0 run. The run was ended by four Panther points with two coming from Kayba Laube and two from Maya McDermott. Five more points from the Aces were followed by a three-pointer from Kayba Laube heading into the media timeout.
Out of the media timeout, Evansville sunk a layup before McDermott took over and netted a layup and immediately followed that up with a steal and assist to Shateah Wetering for two more Panther points. Four points from Emerson Green and back-to-back baskets from newcomer Emily Holterhaus recorded the next eight points for UNI heading into the fourth quarter with a 62-35 lead.
Riley Wright opened the final frame for the Panthers with a free throw which was followed by another five-point run for Evansville. Back-and-forth baskets from the teams held the game at 72-50 in favor of the Panthers after a free throw and a three-pointer by the Aces. A pair of free throws from Emily Holterhaus followed by a three-pointer were sandwiched by two sets of made free throws from Taryn Wharton to complete the victory for the Panthers.
Kayba Laube led UNI with 15 points. She added four rebounds and two steals in her 23 minutes on the court and shot 42.9% from three. In her Panther basketball debut, Emily Holterhaus scored 11 points off the bench and added two rebounds in her 11 minutes.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- UNI extended their series lead with an 82-52 victory. They now own a record of 44-19 against the Purple Aces, a 26-5 record at home, and 19 straight victories against Evansville.
- The Panthers allowed the least number of points in a single quarter all season, only giving up five points.
- Emily Holterhaus scored her first points as a part of the Panther basketball team with a layup in the third quarter. She finished with 11 points in the game.
- Five Panthers scored in double figures against Evansville. This is the first time all season and the first time since a February 23, 2023 matchup at Belmont where five Panthers have scored 10 or more points in a game (Laube 15, Green 12, Holterhaus 11, McDermott 10, Goebel 10).
UP NEXT
The Panthers stay home and will take on the Sycamores of Indiana State on January 6 inside the McLeod Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT and can be streamed on ESPN+ or listened to on the Panther Sports Radio Network.
