PEORIA, Ill. – Even with a slow start the UNI women’s basketball team was able to make quick work of the Bradley Braves winning 60-36 in the final game of January.
The Panthers made a season-high 55 rebounds in their rout of the Braves on Saturday afternoon. In a game that saw strong contributions from the bench, UNI had 12 players get a basket through 40 minutes. Starting forward Grace Boffeli also had her third double-double of the year, leading the Panthers in points and rebounds.
“I thought we played an excellent game defensively,” said Head Coach Tanya Warren. “I was really happy with our rebounding performance by getting a season-high on the road. I thought Grace Boffeli was outstanding this afternoon leading our team on the floor. I also thought we had terrific contributions from our bench, having the entire lineup get into the game.”
The Panthers won the tipoff and immediately found their way to the basket as guard Kam Finley hit a three-pointer only 15 seconds into the game. Bradley got their only jumper of the quarter in at the 8:24 mark from forward Isis Fitch. It’d be two minutes later until anyone scored when UNI got an and-1 from forward Grace Boffeli. Boffeli would make the three-point play and put the Panthers up 6-2. But the Braves would make their way to the free-throw line twice in 45 seconds, cutting the gap to just two. Guard Emerson Green responded by making a corner trey to extend the UNI lead. Bradley would head back to the line to get two more but the Panthers would close out the first on an eight to two-run to take a 17-8 lead.
The second got off to a slow start as neither team found the basket for the first minute and a half. Green would get the first layup of the quarter at the 8:21 mark. No one would find the hoop again until over three minutes in with a Braves free throw. Guard Karli Rucker had the response for the Panthers with a pull-up jumper under a minute later. UNI then went on a 10-point run-up to the final minute. Bradley would get one more shot before the Panthers closed out the quarter with a jumper from forward Kiana Barney to have a 20-point lead.
Starting the second half with a bang, guard Nicole Kreoger hit a trey 25 seconds into the third. Kreoger’s three was the start of a seven-point run for UNI to stretch the lead out to 27, the highest for the Panthers in the game. The Braves began to heat up in the second half, getting a four-point run three minutes in. Finley would end the run at the line with five to go. It would then be back and forth for the rest of the quarter, highlighted by a second Kroeger three at 3:45. UNI headed into the final frame leading 49-24.
To close out the game, the Panthers scored 11 points beginning the fourth with a 27-point lead off a layup from Boffeli after a minute thirty. The next basket wouldn’t come for another full minute when Bradley would get to the line for one. Guard Kayba Laube would answer with a turnaround jump shot. The Braves had their last run of the game with 3:30 to go as they made four points in 35 seconds. The game would end with more traded baskets, including back-to-back threes for guard Caiylin Morgan. UNI would grab the final Illinois road win of the season from Bradley, winning 60-36.
The Panthers would go 21-56 (37.5%) from the floor, 7-33 (21.2%) from three-point range, and 11-19 (57.9%) from the free-throw line. While it was a light night on the offensive side of the ball, UNI excelled on defense with a season-high 55 rebounds. The Panthers also had seven blocks and five steals.
Boffelli was UNI’s leader on both sides of the ball. In her third double-double of the season, Boffeli had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Also, in double digits for the Panthers was Rucker with 10 points. Forward Bre Gunnels had nine rebounds and four blocks to help defensively.
UP NEXT:
The Panthers return home for a four-game homestand to start the month of February. First up for UNI will be the Indiana State Sycamores on Wednesday, Feb. 2. The game will be a doubleheader with the UNI men’s basketball game against Bradley at the McLeod Center. Tipoff for the women’s game is set for 4 p.m.
