MOLINE, Ill. - It was a tough competition for the UNI women's basketball team as they came down short of hoops in the Heartland championship game at Illinois State.
A cool five-minute stretch at the end of the game would see the Panthers down in an otherwise tight match against the Illinois State Redbirds on Sunday afternoon. UNI barely missed the NCAA tournament in a 58–60 loss as he led the majority of the game. The Panthers led the game in assists, blocks and free throw shooting percentages.
"I'm very proud of my team, although it's not the result we wanted," head coach Tanya Warren said after the game. "But I'm very proud of what we've been able to do all season. And especially what we were able to do this weekend. We just fell short and sometimes that happens and it Ok."
It will be a slow start for UNI in the final game of hoops in the Heartland tournament as they will not get a basket until the six-minute mark. A 10-2 run for the Redbirds saw them top eight in the media timeout. The Panthers would be out of a timeout as they scored 9-2 to end the quarter. Senior guard Carly Rooker will take UNI to second place with four points followed by senior forward Bray Gunnes with three.
The start of the second quarter would not be kind to either team as the basket was not made until two and a half minutes into the frame. But the Panthers would get their first short run of the quarter, knocking out a free throw and a layup to go up two. Illinois State would add the game back on their next possession, but UNI responded quickly with a three-point jump shot by new guard Emerson Green.
Junior guard Kam Finlay would follow up with a quick layoff to bring the Panthers up to five and force the Redbirds timeout with four minutes remaining. Out of time, Rooker would commit a foul to extend UNI's lead to seven. Two more shots on the line for freshman guard Kayba Laub would give UNI their biggest lead of the game, with nine to three minutes. Illinois State would be out in a quick five-point run to close the gap to four. But two jump shots in the final minute of the game would put the Panthers up to five at halftime.
The slow start of the first half would disappear in the second half as each team scored a shot within the first minute of the third. The Redbirds would be able to score the first run of the quarter, making three baskets for six points in three and a half minutes. UNI will find themselves back in the top two with a second chance Trey from Finlay. The three-ball would force the Redbirds to a timeout at under-five, where they would be able to tie the game back with a hook shot. The next two minutes would be scoreless until Green made his second three-pointer of the game with 2:33 to go into the quarter. Illinois State would score two quick baskets, but a foul in the final 30 seconds of the quarter put Rucker on the line to put the Panthers on top one by one.
It was three quick back and forth shots to start the final frame as Rucker made a jump shot and a layup in under a minute. About 30 seconds later, Green would make another tray to give UNI a six-point lead with eight minutes left. Neither team scores for the next two minutes, but will again go back to the trading basket for only one minute. The Panthers' last basket of games will come with a second-chance take-up from Finale, with just five minutes to go. UNI would go cold for the rest of the game as the Redbirds put together an 8–0 run to win the championship game 50–48.
In the third-lowest-scoring MVC championship game in history, UNI threw 18–55 (32.7%) from the floor, 4–19 (21.1%) from three-point range and free-line throws. The Panthers caught 34 boards in damage while stealing 10 assists, five blocks and one steal. UNI's 50% points in the championship game would also come in paint while Panther Bench contributed 15 points.
Senior guard Carly Rucker will be the only UNI player in double digits with 16 points in the afternoon. Freshman guard Emerson Greene was one point shy of a double-digit performance with nine points, while junior guard Kam Finlay would go out of the top three in shooting with six points. Senior forward Bray Gunnels led the team in rebounds with eight, while junior center Cynthia Wolf had six boards. Rucker will also add four assists to lead the Panthers.
Next:
With a 22-win season and a net ranking of 55, the Panthers are expected to field a 68-team WNIT. The first 64 teams in the tournament will be revealed on Sunday, March 13 at 8 pm. CT while the full bracket will be released on the morning of Monday, March 14.