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Dec. 29, 2005

Box Score

Cedar Falls, Iowa -

The Creighton Bluejays outscored UNI 12-9 in overtime this evening, defeating the Panthers 67-64 in both teams' Missouri Valley Conference opener.  Senior center Cassie Hager (Perry, Iowa) led UNI with 22 points and sophomore guard Traci Ollendieck (Cresco, Iowa) chipped in a career-high eight rebounds.  The Panthers are now 1-1 in overtime games this season.

Both teams shot 41.7 percent from the field, but Creighton capitalized on its free throws, making 5-of-6 in overtime and 90 percent of its attempts throughout the game.  UNI shot a season-low 64.7 percent from the charity stripe.  However, the Panthers had a season-low 10 turnovers and had 17 points off turnovers to Creighton's eight.

"There is no question that one of our best strengths on this basketball team is our ability to shoot free throws.  Not only do we have the best free throw shooting team in the Valley, we have the No.1 and No. 2 ranked individual free throw shooters in the conference," head coach Tony DiCecco said.  "That is part of the game.  We did not do what we needed to do down the stretch for us to take advantage and win the basketball game.

"The league is so tough and so difficult," he said. "The league is so balanced, everybody has the opportunity to win games and put strings together.  This was a tough loss at home. We just did not finish the game how UNI needs to finish the game in order to win.  We need to be able to execute and be able to finish.  We cannot wait to get to the free throw line." 

Creighton's Angie Janis tied a career-high and led all scorers with 28 points.

UNI led for much of the first half, putting together two 6-0 runs and leading by as many as 10 points with eight minutes remaining in the half.  Junior Tara King (Ottumwa, Iowa) had 14 of her 17 points in the first period, going 5-of-11 from the field and 2-for-2 for three point range.  The Panthers took a 34-29 lead into the break.

UNI extended its lead to 38-29 but the Bluejays then took a 6-0 swing to come within three, five minutes into the second half.  King completed a conventional three-point play and Biggs nailed a jumper to give the Panthers a 43-35 lead with 13:48 remaining.  Creighton then went on a 9-0 run, capped off by a Janis free throw, to take a 44-43 lead. 

Much of the remaining 10 minutes in regulation was a see-saw battle with three lead changes and four ties. Ally Thrall executed a 15-foot jumper with 35 seconds remaining to give Creighton a two-point lead, but UNI responded down low to Hager, forcing overtime.

Hager scored eight of UNI's nine points in overtime.  Creighton led throughout the entire period, beginning with a trey from Brandy Bush.  Hager cut Creighton's advantage to one point with 16 second remaining and then Bush nailed a pair of free throws, capping off the victory.

Creighton improves to 3-7 overall, 1-0 in the MVC.  UNI takes a 6-4 record, 0-1 in the MVC into its game against Drake, Saturday at 1:05 p.m. in the West Gym.