Jan. 25, 2007

Final Stats

Cedar Falls, Iowa -

The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team suffered its third two-point loss in Missouri Valley Conference play on Thursday, falling 60-58 to league-leading Illinois State in the McLeod Center. The Panthers had a shot to tie and a shot to win the game inside the final seven seconds, but neither would fall as the Panthers lost their third straight home game.

            Jessie Biggs led UNI (10-9, 4-4) with 15 points and eight rebounds, and Sarah Larsen added 14 points and five assists. Megan Keefe and Tara King also scored in double figures, contributing 13 and 12 points, respectively. Keefe finished with eight rebounds, and King grabbed seven boards for UNI.

            Nicolle Lewis scored 19 points for the Illinois State (15-4, 8-0), and Lashawn Johns added 16 points while grabbing 14 rebounds. Kristi Cirone scored eight points and dished out eight assists.

            The teams held six ties and had five lead changes through the first eight minutes of play. Neither team led by more than two until a layup from Cirone put ISU up by four, 15-11 with 11:37 left in the first half.

            Larsen hit the first of three three-point field goals with 10:51 on the clock to pull UNI within one, then Keefe gave the lead back to the Panthers with a jump shot at 10:12 that made the score 16-15.

            The Redbirds outscored UNI 8-2 over the next 4:30, taking a 23-18 lead on a jump shot from Lewis with 5:40 on the clock. Biggs trimmed the Panther deficit to three with a jump shot a 5:12, but the Redbirds were able to stretch their lead back to six, 26-20 on a jump shot from Johnson with 1:50 left in the half. Keefe hit a pair of free throws inside the final minute of the first half to send UNI into the locker room trailing, 26-22.

            Biggs was 5-of-7 from the floor and scored 11 of her points in the first 20 minutes. The Panthers shot 9-of-34 (26.5 percent) from the floor in the first half, including 1-of-12 (8.3 percent) from three-point range. UNI was 3-of-4 (75 percent) from the free-throw line in the first half.

            The Redbirds were 12-of-28 (42.9 percent) from the floor in the first half, and they were 0-of-4 from behind the arc. ISU was 2-of-6 (33.3 percent) on their first-half free-throw attempts.

            Illinois State scored on its first three possessions to open the second half on a 6-0 run and build a 32-22 lead with 18:39 to play.

            The Panthers responded by scoring on their next three trips, on a jump shot from Keefe then a pair of free throws each by Keefe and Larsen, trimming the Panther deficit to 32-28 with 17:40. At 16:20, King hit a three to pull the Panthers within one, 32-31.

            The Redbirds extended their lead to six on a jump shot from Johnson and a three from Maggie Krick. A free throw from Keefe made the score 37-32 with 14:15 remaining, then at 13:27 Larsen knocked down a three as she was fouled. She made the free throw to complete the four-point play and once again cut the Redbird lead to one, 37-36.

            ISU scored six unanswered points over the next three minutes, building a 36-43 lead with 10:15 to play.  The teams traded baskets, and the lead stayed between five and seven points until a three from Larsen at 7:11 drew UNI within four, 47-43.

            Lindsey Swanson hit a jump shot as the shot clock expired to pull UNI within two, 47-45 at 6:29. ISU was able to bring its lead back to four on each of its next two possessions, but King answered each time for the Panthers to keep it at a one-possession game.

            With the Panthers down two, Keefe hit a jump shot at 2:40 to knot the game for the sixth time, 51-51.

            Megan McCracken scored at the two-minute mark to return the lead to the Redbirds, but Biggs tied the game for the seventh time, 53-53, with a jump shot at 1:39.

            Johnson put ISU back in front, 55-53, with a jump shot a 1:13. Krick came up with a steal on the next Panther possession, and the Redbirds capitalized with a basket by Lewis with 59 seconds remaining. Lewis was fouled on the play, and her free-throw put ISU up 58-53 with less than a minute to play.

            Biggs hit a layup with 47 ticks left on the clock to pull UNI back within three. The Panthers elected to foul Cirone, who hit one of two free throws to make it a two-possession game, 59-55 with 36 seconds left.

            King was fouled as she hit a layup with 14 seconds left. The free throw pulled UNI within one, 59-58. UNI sent McCraken to the free throw line, and she hit the first of two attempts to put ISU in front by two, 60-58 with 13 seconds left.

            After Illinois State knocked the ball out of bounds, UNI found King on the baseline. Her shot hit the side of the rim, but Nicole Clausen was able to track down the rebound with four seconds left. Her three-point attempt with two seconds remaining hit the front of the rim, preserving the win for Illinois State.

            The Panthers shot 22-of-67 (32.8 percent) from the floor, including 4-of-20 (20 percent) from three-point range. UNI finished 10-of-13 (76.9 percent) from the free-throw line.

            Illinois State was 27-of-57 (47.4 percent) from the floor, including 1-of-9 (11.1 percent) from behind the arc. The Redbirds were 5-of-12 (41.7 percent) from the free-throw line.

            Illinois State held a slight rebounding edge, grabbing 40 to UNI's 39. The Panthers committed a season-low 10 turnovers, which ISU converted into 14 points. The Panthers grabbed nine steals, and turned 16 ISU turnovers into 17 points.

            The Panthers' four conference losses have come by a combined 11 points, with three at just a two-point margin.

            UNI returns to action on Saturday when they host Illinois State at 4:05 p.m.