Katy Winge led the Redbirds with 12 points in a loss to Northern Iowa. (Photo courtesy of GoRedbirds.com)
By WJBC staff
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa –Northern Iowa poured in 14 3-pointers against the Illinois State women’s basketball team, while the Redbirds struggled from the field Sunday at the McLeod Center. ISU couldn’t slow down UNI and fell, 71-43, as the Panthers shot 47 percent from three-point range in the game.
Katy Winge led the Redbirds (0-14, 0-3 MVC) with 12 points with 10 coming in the second half, while Octavia Crump and Taylor Stewart both added six points. Northern Iowa (8-7, 4-0 MVC) had three players in double figures. Colleene Smith grabbed a team-high seven rebounds followed by Mackenzie Freeman with five. UNI had a slight advantage on the boards, pulling down 36, while ISU grabbed 31, including 11 offensive rebounds. The Redbirds shot 34 percent from the field, while the Panthers connected on 47 percent of their shot attempts.
“Finding a set starting lineup is tough right now,” head coach Barb Smith said. “We are trying to find ways to start the game off strong. Our start wasn’t great, but the start of the second half was much better. We are still working as a team, and we had some good plays. Northern Iowa and Drake are both high-power offenses. So, we knew this weekend would be tough. We are still growing and learning, and once we get that first win, we will be ready to go.”
UNI jumped ahead early, as it opened the game with a 9-0 run four minutes into the contest, forcing an early Illinois State timeout. After the break, ISU scored back-to-back points to pull within five, while UNI went on a three-minute scoring drought. The scoreless run for the Panthers didn’t last long, as Northern Iowa scored 15-straight points taking a 24-4 lead with eight minutes left on the clock. During the run, UNI netted three shots from three-point range, while ISU was scoreless for nearly six minutes.
Illinois State found momentum, as it scored nine points late in the half, but Northern Iowa continued to drain threes and took a 39-15 lead into the locker room. At the half, Northern Iowa scored 14 field goals with seven coming from beyond the arc.
In the first half, ISU was led by Stekara Hall and Stewart, as the duo both scored four points in the opening half. Smith and Winge both grabbed three rebounds, but the Panthers had the advantage on the boards, pulling down 20 compared to ISU’s 12. Illinois State struggled from the field, connecting on 28 percent of its shots. The Northern Iowa end of the court was a different story, as the Panthers shot 50 percent from the field and were 47 percent from three-point range.
UNI scored five-straight points quickly to open the second half, but momentum shifted in ISU’s favor, as the Redbirds scored six-straight points, 44-21, with 16 minutes left in the game. During the Illinois State run, Northern Iowa was scoreless for nearly four minutes. A 7-0 run and back-to-back threes a few minutes later gave UNI a 60-28 advantage.
Winge brought life back to the Redbirds, as she scored five-straight points for the Redbirds and had 10 points in the second half. The ISU offensive attack was led by Winge and Crump for 10 minutes in the second half, as the duo scored a combined 14 points. Then, Illinois State found an offensive spark, as it went on a 9-0 run with four Redbirds scoring during the run, 67-41, late in the game. UNI was scoreless for five minutes during the Redbird run, but ISU ran out of time and fell, 71-43.
