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Jan. 27, 2007

Final Stats

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -  Jessie Biggs scored a career-high 34 points to lead the University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team to a 69-66 win over Indiana State in the McLeod Center on Saturday. The win snaps a three-game home losing streak for the Panthers, and moves them to 11-9 overall and 5-4 in Missouri Valley Conference play.

            Biggs was 11-of-19 from the floor, and 10-of-14 from the free-throw line in her career night. Tara King also scored in double figures for UNI, and she led the Panthers with nine rebounds. Megan Keefe finished with seven points, seven rebounds and five assists for UNI. Biggs grabbed seven rebounds and dished out four assists, and Sarah Larsen finished with five points, five rebounds and four assists.

            Laura Rudolphi paced the Sycamores with 19 points and six rebounds. Kelsey Luna finished with 14 points for ISU.           

            A free throw from Biggs gave the Panthers a one-point edge, but ISU took a 16-15 lead on a basket from Rudolphi. Biggs answered with a jump shot for the Panthers that put UNI in front, 17-16 with 9:46 on the clock.

            The Panthers stretched their lead to five, 27-22 with 2:40 to play in the period. The Sycamores ended the half on a 5-0 run to send the teams into the break tied at 27.

            The teams traded leads twice and had two ties through the first six minutes of the second half. Neither team held more than a two-point lead until King hit a jump shot that put UNI in front by four, 39-35 with 13:15 left.

            The Sycamores scored the next five points, taking a 40-39 lead on a three from Angela Phillips at 12:15. A jump shot from Biggs put UNI back in front, but on ISU's next possession, Phillips hit another three to put the Sycamores in the lead by two, 43-41.

            King tied the game for the seventh time with a jump shot at 11:16, but Maria Olsthoorn hit the Sycamores third three in as many trips at 11:06 to give Indiana State a 46-43 lead.

            King trimmed the Panther deficit to one with a pair of free throws at 10:11, but then the Sycamores went on a 5-0 run to build a 51-45 lead with 8:18 on the clock.

            ISU took its largest lead of the game when Rudolphi hit a jump shot to make the score 56-49 with 6:28 remaining.

            Biggs hit a three on UNI's next trip to cut the Panthers' deficit to four. She made one of two free throw attempts just over a minute later to make it a one-possession game. With 3:44 left to play, Sarah Larsen hit a three to cap a 7-0 run by the Panthers and tie the game for the eighth time, 56-56.

            Rudolphi returned the lead to the Sycamores with a pair of free throws, but King answered with a three on UNI's ensuing possession to put the Panthers in front, 59-58 with three minutes to play.

            Biggs connected on a free throw attempt just under the two minute mark to make it a two-point Panther lead, 60-58. Angela Phillips missed a layup, and King came up with a big defensive rebound to give the Panthers the lead and the ball with 1:27 on the clock. Biggs was fouled as she shot at 1:13, and the senior hit both free throws to make it a two-possession game, 62-58.

            Kara Schilli cut the Panther lead in half with a quick basket, making the score 62-60 with 49 seconds remaining.

            Biggs found Keefe cutting to the basket with 25 seconds left. Keefe hit the layup to give UNI a four-point advantage, 64-60.

            Larsen blocked a three-point attempt by Phillips with 18 seconds left, and Biggs grabbed the rebound. ISU elected to send Biggs to the line, and she hit both attempts to stretch the Panther advantage to six, 66-60 with 15 seconds remaining.

            Kelsey Luna hit a three from the left wing with nine seconds left to make it a one-possession game, 66-63. Biggs was fouled by Angela Phillips as the Panthers worked to inbounds the ball, and Phillips was also whistled for a technical foul. Biggs made three of the four ensuing free throws to put the Panthers in front, 69-63 with eight seconds left.

            Luna hit a three with three seconds left, but the Panthers were able to inbound the ball safely and hold onto the win.

            The Panthers shot 43.9 percent (25-of-57) from the floor. UNI finished 7-of-20 (35 percent) from behind the three-point line, and all five starters connected from behind the arc for UNI. The Panthers were 12-of-19 (63.2 percent) from the free-throw line, including 7-of-9 in the final 1:13. The Panthers committed a season-low six turnovers in the win.

            The Panther defense held the Sycamores to 15 points fewer than their season average, as ISU had been scoring 81.1 points per MVC game. The Sycamores shot 24-of-61 (39.3 percent) from the floor, and they finished 8-of-14 (57.1 percent) from three-point range. ISU was 10-of-12 (83.3 percent) from the free-throw line.

            The Panthers stay home for their next contest, hosting Drake on Thursday at 7:05 p.m.