LAS VEGAS – The UNI women’s basketball team took on the Vanderbilt Commodores on day two of the South Point Shootout. The Panthers looked to mount an 18-point comeback in their final matchup of the tournament but fell just short down the stretch by a final score of 68-64.
The Panthers struck first on Saturday afternoon with a layup off the hand of Grace Boffeli on UNI’s first offensive possession. A Vanderbilt jump shot was then followed by Maya McDermott’s first points of the game and two free throws from Boffeli. A pair of Commodore baskets put Vanderbilt ahead by a score of 8-6 before Kaybe Laube’s first points of the game on a three-point basket gave the Panthers the lead at 9-8 just over halfway through the first quarter.
A six-point run from the Commodores was broken by a layup and an and-one free throw from Shateah Wetering. Northern Iowa still trailed Vanderbilt 12-14 with 1:38 remaining in the first. A Commodore three-pointer was the last basket of the quarter and put Vandy ahead 17-12.
Defense was the name of the second quarter for Vanderbilt who went on an 11-0 run which saw multiple steals against the UNI offense. A layup from Grace Boffeli out of a media timeout stopped the Commodore run with 4:02 remaining in the second quarter. The UNI offense found a groove and finished the back half of the second quarter with nine points including two from Riley Wright, a pair of free throws from McDermott, a Wetering three-pointer, and another layup from Grace Boffeli. Vanderbilt would sink the final basket of the first half and lead the Panthers 38-23 heading into the break.
Out of the halftime break, Vanderbilt recorded the first points of the third quarter on a layup just over one minute into the frame. Grace Boffeli answered with the first UNI points of the quarter on a layup a minute later which was followed with a trio of threes including one from Kayba Laube. The Commodores held onto a sizable lead at 46-28 heading into the first media timeout with just under five minutes to play in the third quarter.
Out of the media timeout, Boffeli sank her 12th point of the contest on a layup to cut the Vanderbilt lead to 16 at 30-46. A pull-up jumper from Boffeli and Laube’s third three of the matchup pulled UNI closer to the Commodores with 2:43 remaining in the third quarter. A layup by Vanderbilt was followed by a basket from McDermott to bring the score to 50-37 in favor of the Commodores. A Vanderbilt basket off another UNI turnover preceded a technical foul by the Commodores which put Kaybe Laube on the free-throw line for the first time this season. After sinking both free throws, Laube sank another three-pointer to cut the Vandy lead to 10 with 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Three points from the Commodores finished the third quarter with a 55-42 lead.
UNI went on an 11-5 run to open the fourth quarter with jumpers from Maya McDermott and Grace Boffelli followed by a three-pointer from Kayba Laube and back-to-back layups from Boffeli. A made three-pointer and subsequent free throw from Kayba Laube cut the Vandy lead to three points with just under five minutes to go in the matchup.
The Commodores netted the next five points to push their lead back out to eight at 65-57 with just under three minutes to play. McDermott answered with her 10th point of the game on a jumper to cut the lead to six with two minutes to go. The jumper was followed by a pair of free throws from Boffeli to pull the Panthers within four with 1:25 to go. Northern Iowa was forced to foul, which the Commodores were able to convert for one point to push their lead to 66-61. Boffeli was fouled and sank one of the shots to creep back to down four with 12 seconds to go in the ball game. The Panthers couldn’t capitalize down the stretch but netted two more free throws. Vanderbilt escaped the Panther push with a 68-64 final score.
Grace Boffeli led UNI with 25 points, one shy of her career-high. She added six rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and two steals. Laube and McDermott were the only other two Panthers in double figures with 21 from Laube and 10 from McDermott. Shateah Wetering led the Northern Iowa rebounding with eight rebounds.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
The Commodores recorded their first victory against the Panthers and evened the series at one win a piece.
Kayba Laube recorded a career-high 21 points in the matchup. She shot 60% from beyond the arc (6-for-10) and 3-3 from the free throw line.
The technical free throws shot by Laube were her first free throws of the season.
Shateah Wetering brought down a career-high eight rebounds.
Grace Boffeli was named to the South Point Shootout All-Tournament team.
UP NEXT
The Panthers continue their road game streak with their fourth of five games away from the McLeod Center in a matchup with the Coyotes of South Dakota. The game tips off at 6 p.m. CT on Wednesday and can be streamed on the Summit League Network or listened to on the Panther Sports Radio Network.
