Southern Illinois University
7-18, 3-13MVC
Northern Iowa
15-10, 10-6MVC
Women's Basketball Falls to Northern Iowa, 74-69
03/01/2003 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
March 1, 2003
Carbondale, Ill. - Northern Iowa (15-10, 10-6) shot a sizzling 54 percent from behind the three-point line to squeeze out a 74-69 win over Southern Illinois (7-18, 3-13) earlier today at SIU Arena. Katie Miller led UNI with 24 points, as the Panthers put a damper on SIU's senior day.
UNI shot 46 percent (25-of-54) from the field en route to its eighth win in 10 games. The win also marked the Panthers' 11th in their last 12 meetings against the Salukis.
Molly McDowell and Katie Berwanger each scored four points to help SIU build an early 10-4 lead in the first half. The Salukis, who held UNI scoreless for 3:03, capped off the surge with a McDowell layup at the 16:27 mark.
Trailing by six, UNI answered the charge with a blistering 8-of-9 (89 percent) field goals over the first 10:57 of the game. After a Alex Cook jumper cut SIU's margin to 10-6 (15:37), Katie Miller knocked down three 3-pointers to help regain a 32-26 lead for the Panthers. Miller's third 3-pointer was part of a 8-2 run that enabled UNI to take a 32-28 advantage at the break.
Miller shot 4-of-7 from the field, including a near-perfect 3-of-4 from behind the three-point arc to lead all UNI scorers at the half. Miller was one of four players who scored double figures between the two teams, as McDowell (11), Cook (10) and Dana Pinkston (11) also added 10 or more points. Additionally, UNI hit 48 percent (13-of-27) of its field goals to go along with a 60 percent (6-of-10) mark from downtown.
UNI kept its momentum going in the second half, and as a result, never surrendered its lead for the rest of the game.
The Panthers used a 14-7 run over the first 6:36 of the second half to take their biggest lead of the game at 50-39. Cook (4) and Miller (6) accounted for 10 of the points during the spurt that ended on a Miller jumper at the 13:14 mark.
SIU, however, would not go down easily. Following a Wendy Goodman layup, which sliced the UNI lead to 57-55 (7:54), the Dawgs used three McDowell free throws with 12 seconds left to pull to within three (72-69), but that wasn't enough, as a pair of Emily Berry free throws (:11) iced the Panther win.
Miller was 8-of-15 from the field, 3-of-5 from three-point range and 5-of-5 from the free throw line to lead all UNI scorers with 24 points. Cook followed with 22 points on 9-of-14 field goals and 4-of-5 free throws. Amy Swisher, who also had a trio of three-pointers, rounded out the attack with a double-double 15 points and 10 rebounds.
SIU was led by McDowell who scored 28 points on 8-of-17 from the field, including 4-of-6 from three-point range. McDowell also hit a perfect 8-of-8 free throws, while grabbing six rebounds. Berwanger followed with 14 points and Pinkston added 10 to help pace the Dawgs.
Despite matching UNI's seven three-pointers, SIU shot just 37 percent for the game hitting 26 of its 70 attempts. The Salukis were also out-rebounded 43-32. In addition, Panther starters Swisher, Cook and Miller combined for 61 of the team's 74 points.
The Salukis, who honored seniors McDowell, Megan Miller and Hillary Phillips following the game, will return to action at Southwest Missouri State on Thursday, March 6. Tip off is at 7:05 p.m.
