University of Northern Iowa
13-12,8-6MVC
Murray State
16-7,10-4MVC
Panthers drop offense-heavy matchup at Murray State
2/15/2025 5:59:00 PM | Women's Basketball
UNI women’s basketball loses two straight to the Racers as they fall 96-91.
MURRAY, Ky. --- UNI women's basketball traveled to Murray State on Saturday to take on the Murray State Racers inside the CFSB Center in Kentucky. Both teams opened the first quarter on fire before the Panthers cooled down in the second while the Racers surged out to a lead into the halftime break. The Panthers battled back down the stretch of the third quarter and to open the fourth quarter, but were outlasted by the Racers in the waning minutes of the final frame. Murray State squeaked out with a 96-91 victory, its second straight against the Cats.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The matchup opened hot with an offense-heavy first quarter. The 27-25 UNI advantage saw the Panthers shoot 61.1% (11-of-18) from the floor in the first 10 minutes of play. The quarter was highlighted by 13 points from Maya McDermott on 6-for-6 shooting from the floor. The Panthers went on a seven-point run late in the first frame to take a four-point lead before a three-point buzzer-beater from the Racers cut the UNI lead to two points heading into the second quarter.
The Panthers cooled down in the second quarter while Murray State remained red hot in a quarter that saw a 24-16 Racer advantage. The frame saw five and six-point runs from the home team to take a six-point lead at 49-43 heading into halftime. The Panthers shot just 33.3% (6-of-18) from the floor in the second quarter.
The third quarter was back-and-forth all the way with each team having a few small runs before UNI went on a 10-point run to open the fourth quarter, and included a Maya McDermott buzzer-beater at the end of the third, to wipe out the deficit and take a one-point lead. The teams continued to trade blows down the back stretch of the fourth quarter before a seven-point run to close the game for the Racers gave Murray State a 96-91 victory on their home court.
Maya McDermott led all scorers with 35 points. She added six rebounds, leading the UNI rebounding effort, and six assists to her total. Three other Panthers recorded double-figures including 15 points from Shateah Wetering, 13 from Emerson Green, and 11 from Kayba Laube. Ryley Goebel finished with four blocks.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- UNI drops to 13-12 on the season and 8-6 in MVC play with the 96-91 loss. They are now 6-2 all-time against the Racers.
- Maya McDermott played in her 150th career game in the matchup. The senior is just the third Panther to accomplish the feat. She finished with 35 points, her 22nd double-figure outing, her 13th 20+-point outing, and her third 30+-point outing. She was two points shy of her career-high 37-point mark, but recorded a career-high 15 field goals in the matchup.
- Taryn Wharton finished the game with four points as she crossed the 500-point threshold.
- Ryley Goebel became just the second athlete in UNI women's basketball history and third in Missouri Valley Conference history to cross the 50-block, 50-steal threshold in a single season.
- The Panthers drilled seven three-pointers against the Racers, continuing a 557-game three-pointer streak that started back in 2008.
UP NEXT
The Panthers return home for the remainder of the month and kick off a four-game home stand with a matchup against Missouri State on Thursday, Feb. 20. Tipoff inside the McLeod Center is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and will be available on ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network.
UNI women's basketball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Women's Basketball), X (@UNIwbb), and on Instagram (@uni_wbb). The 2024-25 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
