CEDAR FALLS — UNI women’s basketball played host to the no. 8 ranked Cyclones of Iowa State on Wednesday evening inside the McLeod Center. The Panthers never backed down from a fight all night as UNI took home the program’s first victory over a top-10 opponent in program history.
The Cyclones opened the game’s scoring with a jump shot before UNI took a quick lead with back-to-back jumpers. Elise Jaeger knocked down a three-pointer before an eight-point run from Iowa State gave the Cyclones a 12-7 lead early in the first quarter. The Panthers netted six more points heading into the first-quarter media timeout to cut the Cyclone lead to two points at 12-14 into the media timeout. Out of the break, each team notched nine points to close the first quarter with a score of 23-21 in favor of the Cyclones.
Iowa State and UNI opened the second quarter with back-to-back three-pointers to take a 29-21 lead before a six-point Panther run which included back-to-back buckets from Maya McDermott to cut the lead to two at 27-29. A layup from Iowa State led to the second-quarter media timeout with the Cyclones on top 31-27. Out of the break, The Panthers went on a 7-4 run to take a 36-35 lead. Iowa State finished the first half on a 9-5 run to take a 44-41 lead heading into halftime.
The Panthers held a slight, 10-9 advantage heading into the first media timeout of the third quarter in a span that saw seven of the 10 UNI points come from Maya McDermott. Kayba Labe came out the break hot with a three-pointer which was followed by a layup from Shateah Wetering to give UNI a five-point run into the second media timeout of the third quarter. The Panthers took an 8-2 advantage down the back portion of the third quarter to hold a nine-point advantage at 64-55 heading into the final frame. UNI outscored the Cyclones 23-11 in the third quarter.
UNI kept its foot on the gas, leading 72-60 at the fourth-quarter media timeout after an 8-5 run over the first few minutes of the fourth quarter. The teams battled down the stretch in what was a two-point advantage for the Panthers down the back half of the first quarter to give UNI an 87-75 victory over the Cyclones.
Maya McDermott led UNI with 37 points. She added four assists and three steals to her total. Kayba Laube was the other lone Panther in double figures with 21 points on 5-for-7 from beyond the arc.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
UNI moves to 3-1 on the season after the 87-75 victory over Iowa State as the Panthers recorded their first victory over Iowa State since 2019.
The Panthers recorded the program’s first top-10 victory in the 87-75 victory over Iowa State.
Maya McDermott recorded a new career high of 37 points against the Cyclones on a career-high 14 made field goals.
Elise Jaeger recorded multiple career highs including field goals made (3), three-pointers (3), points (9), and assists (3).
Kayba Laube set a new career high with six made free throws.
The 5,304 attendance figure is the McLeod Center’s largest for a women’s basketball game since last season’s matchup against the Iowa Hawkeyes. (6,650)
Iowa State’s all-time women’s basketball record moves to 852-667 (.561) and head coach Bill Fennelly’s Iowa State record moves to 615-314 (.662).
Audi Crooks and Addy Brown each recorded 20-point scoring games with double-doubles … it is the third time in their careers and second time this season they have both managed double-doubles in the same game.
Crooks (22 points, 10 rebounds) recorded her second 20+ point performance of the season and 19th of her career … it also marked the 10th double-double she has managed in her career.
Brown (21 points, 12 rebounds) now holds sole possession of the 11th all-time highest double-double count by a Cyclone with 13 … she also tallied her third 20+ point game of the season and seventh of her career.
Emily Ryan led Iowa State with six assists and managed a season-high 13 points with three 3-pointers.
Ryan’s school record moves to 824 dimes and she is four points from matching Heather Ezell for the all-time 18th-best Cyclone point total of 1,339.
UP NEXT
No. 8 Iowa State hosts Drake on Sunday at 2 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
The UNI Panthers head to the sunny Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam tournament over Thanksgiving weekend. The Panthers will open the tournament with a matchup against Auburn. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT on Thanksgiving Day (November 28) and can be streamed on ESPN+ or listened to on the Panther Sports Radio Network.