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Jan. 11, 2007

Final Stats

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -

            Robyn Jennings hit a three from the top of the key with just 17 seconds remaining to push Evansville past the University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team, 56-54 in the McLeod Center Thursday night.

            The loss ends a seven-game win streak by the Panthers and gives UNI its first Missouri Valley Conference loss of the season.

            UNI's Tara King led all scorers with 24 points. Jessie Biggs and Sarah Larsen each scored 10 points for UNI (9-6, 3-1 MVC), and Larsen led the Panthers with eight rebounds.

            Evansville (11-5, 4-1 MVC) entered the game averaging 90 points per MVC contest, but the Panther defense held the Aces to just 20 first-half points, taking a 23-20 advantage into the break.

            King scored the first six points of the second half for UNI, and her jump shot with 14:56 pulled UNI to within five, 34-29. Evansville scored six points over the next 1:26 to stretch its lead to double digits, 40-29 with 13:31 on the clock.

            The Panthers trimmed their deficit to four on four different occasions of the next four minutes, and Biggs connected on a free throw with 5:27 remaining to make it a one-possession game, 49-46.

            Rebekah Parker answered with a free-throw for the Aces to make it a four-point lead again, but a free throw from Larsen pulled UNI to within three with 4:21 on the clock. At 3:47 King knocked down a three to tie the game at 50.

            Megan Keefe gave UNI its first lead since the 19:04 mark when she scored on a layup 3:06 to play, putting the Panthers on top 52-50.

            Evansville's Austin Ashley tied the game for the fifth time when she connected on a pair of free throws with 2:50 left.

            King hit a jump shot from the left baseline with 56 seconds remaining to give the lead back to the Panthers, 54-52.

            Ashli Senff missed the potential game-tying layup for the Aces, but Evansville's Shannon Novosel grabbed the offensive board and was fouled in the process.

            With the Aces in the double bonus, she connected on the first free throw to cut the Panther lead to one with 39 seconds left. Novosel missed the second free throw, but Jennings came up with the offensive rebound to set up her go-ahead three.

            The Panthers got the ball back with 16 seconds left, but they were unable to get a shot off and turned the ball over in the closing seconds.

            UNI shot 35.7 percent (20-of-56) from the floor, including 6-of-21 (28.6 percent) from three-point range. The Panthers were 8-of-11 (72.7 percent) from the free-throw line.

            Evansville shot 33.3 percent (19-of-57) from the floor, including 5-of-14 (35.7 percent) from behind the arc. The Aces were 13-of-18 (72.2 percent) from the free-throw line.

            Evansville held the rebounding advantage, 43-35. The Panthers return to action on Saturday when they host Southern Illinois at 7:35 p.m.