CEDAR FALLS – In their final home game of the regular season the UNI women’s basketball team was able to honor their three seniors with a win over the Illinois State Redbirds, 70-63.
It was a memorable game in the McLeod Center for the Panthers as they celebrated Senior Day honoring seniors Karli Rucker, Nicole Kreoger, and Bre Gunnels. Strong defensive play led the way as UNI won the rebounding game and limited their turnovers to move past the Redbirds in the MVC standings.
“It’s been an emotional week to be quite honest,” said Head Coach Tanya Warren of the Senior Day win. “For them to be able to put their emotions aside and really focus on the game plan and the task at hand says a lot about them. Their maturity.
“And you know I had to call an early timeout. I thought our emotions were running pretty high early. Then I thought we did a terrific job of settling in and that speaks volumes to their [the seniors] leadership. They didn’t panic, they stayed poised and we were able to find a way to win.”
After their final home game, the three seniors spoke about what it meant to be able to grab the win. [Video available at UNIPanthers.com]
The Panthers were again plagued by a slow start in the first, not getting a basket until almost two minutes into the quarter. Coach Warren would call an early timeout within the first three minutes as the Redbirds went 6-2 in that timespan. After the timeout, it would be back and forth baskets, including free throws for forward Bre Gunnels and an Illinois State three-pointer. After a Cynthia Wolf jumper just under the six-minute mark, it would be almost three minutes until either team scored. It’d again be Wolf with the basket as she made a spin around jumper to put UNI within one. A minute later the Redbirds would get back to the basket. But an issue with the game clock during the basket would incur a long timeout for both teams as officials sorted out the time. Illinois State would have their best run of the quarter during the clock issue, making eight points in two minutes. But the Panthers would get the last shot of the first as guard Emerson Green made a three-point play.
While UNI still wouldn’t get the first basket of the second quarter, they would quickly make up the six-point deficit, going on a nine-point run over the first two and a half minutes. But a one-point lead would quickly be taken back as the Redbirds made one of two free throws to tie the game up before taking a two-point lead just over a minute later. It’d be back and forth basketball through the middle of the second until Illinois State would make a six-point run in under a minute 30. Forward Grace Boffeli would answer back for the Panthers with a three-point play to get the deficit down to three. The Redbirds made one more basket in the final minute and a half as star guard JuJu Redmond made a jump shot to bring the lead up to five. A three-point shot from the top of the key by Wolf would help UNI tie the game back up as it set up a jump shot for Rucker in the final 30 seconds of the half.
Unlike the first half, the Panthers had a hot start to the second with two fouls drawn for shots at the line by Gunnels and Boffeli to give UNI their second lead of the game. Redmond would make a three-point play for Illinois State to grab the lead back for a brief moment. Twenty-five seconds later, Gunnels would make her second trey of the game to put the Panthers back on top for the final time. The Redbirds were able to tie the game up one final time in the next minute. But a six-point run by UNI into the halfway point of the third quarter would help establish the Panther lead. It’d be back and forth between the two teams the rest of the quarter, with Gunnels getting the final shot. She would make a trey just outside the arc to give the Panthers their largest lead of the day at eight.
And the fourth would be no different as UNI grew their lead to 12 within the first three minutes of the final frame. Illinois State would be able to bring the gap back down into single digits throughout the quarter but the Panthers would lead by double digits four separate times. In the final minute and a half of the game, the Redbirds would get the lead down to five as Redmond scored five points in 30 seconds. But a final second foul on Illinois State guard Maya Wong would give guard Nicole Kreoger the final basket of the game at the line, making one of two to give UNI the 70-63 victory.
It wasn’t the best shooting day for the Panthers as they went 22-56 (39.3%) from the floor, 5-22 (22.7%) from behind the arc, and 21-28 (75.0%) from the charity stripe. It was on defense where UNI was able to shut down the Redbirds, grabbing 36 rebounds, making seven steals, and putting up five blocks. The Panthers also limited their turnovers to just 11 along with having 11 assists for a 1.00 assist to turnover ratio.
It was a game for the forwards on Sunday as Gunnels and Boffeli led the team in points with 19 and 17 respectively. They would be the only players in double-digits with Rucker being the next closest scorer at nine points. Boffeli also led the team in rebounds with 11 for her sixth double-double of the season. She is also having the seventh-best rebounding season in Panther women’s basketball history with 241 boards on the year. She is one rebound behind Amber Krishbaum who made 242 rebounds in the 2011-2012 season. Rucker also had a strong game helping shooters with five assists and no turnovers while Boffeli recorded three steals.
UP NEXT:
The Panthers get ready for their final road trip of the regular season next week. It will be the Indiana swing for UNI as they make stops in Terre Haute and Evansville on Thursday and Saturday. While on the road the Panthers will find out their seeding for Hoops in the Heartland, with a chance to end up as either the second, third, or fourth seed. UNI is currently seeded third behind Missouri State and Southern Illinois. First up on the road trip next week will be a game at the Hulman Center to take on the Sycamores on March 3 at 5 p.m.
