March 13-16 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament St. Charles, Mo.
March 13 First Round vs. #10 Wichita State 8:35 p.m.
March 14 Quarterfinals (if still playing) vs. #2 Evansville 6 p.m.
March 15 Semifinals (if still playing) TBD 3:35 p.m.
March 16 Final (If still playing) TBD 2:05 p.m.
The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team will face Wichita State in the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Thursday at 8:35 p.m. in St. Charles, Mo. This is the first year that the MVC Tournament has been held in a neutral site, as all 10 teams will converge upon Family Arena. All games will be carried by KWLO 1330 AM with Dallas Kincaid providing play-by-play.
The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team will face 10th-seeded Wichita State in the opening round of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Thursday night in Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo.
This is the third meeting between the Panthers and the Shockers, and UNI picked up wins in both games. The Panthers won 63-30 when the teams met in Cedar Falls on Jan. 19. The 30 points represent the fewest allowed by the Panthers this season. On Feb. 14, the Panthers picked up a 64-54 win in Wichita. The Panthers have won the last 19 meetings between the schools.
The Shockers are coming off a pair of close losses at home. WSU fell 56-53 to Creighton on March 6, and then lost 53-51 to Drake on March 8. Kiki Stephens is leading the Shockers with 12.7 points per game.
The Panthers are coming off a 79-63 game at Bradley. UNI fell behind 21-2 and trailed by as many as 22 points in the second half before rallying to narrow the gap to within five points.
UNI vs. Wichita State
This is the 53rd meeting between UNI and Wichita State, and the Panthers hold a 28-24 lead in the overall series. The Panthers have won the last 19 games against the Shockers, including a 64-54 win in Wichita the last time the teams met. The teams have only met once in the MVC Tournament, on March 8, 2001, with the Panthers earning a 78-67 win in Springfield, Mo.
Head coach Tanya Warren is 2-0 against the Shockers in her first season with the Panthers.
STAYING NEUTRAL
Thursday's game against Wichita State will be the first neutral-site game for the Panthers this season. UNI has not fared well away from the McLeod Center this season, finishing 3-12 on the road.
PANTHERS IN THE TOURNAMENT
UNI has won its first Missouri Valley Conference Tournament game in four of the last five seasons. Last season UNI dropped its first game in the tournament, 58-57 to Evansville in the quarterfinals, but had won four straight prior to that. Over the last eight years, the Panthers are 6-2 in their first tournament games. While UNI has done well in their first-round games, the Panthers have never won twice in the MVC Tournament.
BROKEN RECORD
The Panthers set a new school mark for threes made in a season after making eight against Bradley on Saturday. UNI has now made 187 on the year, eclipsing the previous record of 182 set last season. This year's team has also set a new mark for threes attempted in season, tallying 594 tries from behind the arc this year.
BACK TO FORM
Freshman Erin Brocka started off the year fast, averaging 7.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. A mid-season injury slowed her down a bit, dropping her averages to 4.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest. She seems to have returned to her early-season form, however, averaging 11.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in the Panthers' last three contests. She scored a career-high 15 points against Bradley on Saturday, and she pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds against Evansville on Feb. 28.
NAIL BITERS
The Panthers' games in the second half of the MVC schedule have come down to the wire more often than not. In UNI's last eight games, five have been decided by five points or less. UNI is 4-1 in those contests. That's a start difference from the first half of the Valley season, when the Panthers were 1-3 in games decided by five or fewer points.
GUARDING THE GLASS
UNI sophomore Nicole Clausen might be best known for her three-point shooting abilities, but she has lately been a force on the boards as well. Clausen is averaging 6.8 rebounds per game in the Panthers' last four contests, and she grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds in the Panthers' win over Drake on Feb. 24. She is averaging 4.0 rebounds per game on the season.
GET TO SIXTY
The Panthers have had a tough time winning when not reaching 60 points. The Panthers have fallen below that mark 12 times this season, and they are 1-11 when scoring fewer than 60 points. On the other hand, the Panthers are 11-5 in games where they score 60 or more points.
IN-STATE STAR
Freshman Jacqui Kalin has played well in the Panthers' four games against in-state teams. Kalin averaged 19.3 points per game and 5.5 assists per game against Iowa, Iowa State and the two against Drake. Kalin has also notched two 20-point performances against in-state rivals, scoring 21 at Iowa State and matching her career high with 27 against Drake. She shot 47 percent from the floor in those games, including 42 percent from three-point range.
SECOND-HALF SUCCESS
After going 3-6 through the first half of the conference schedule, the Panthers finished 5-4 in the second half. Statistically, not much has changed for the Panthers. UNI only averaged two more points per game, but they turned the ball over 5.5 fewer times per contest. The biggest difference has been the Panthers' results in close games. In the first half of league play, UNI was 1-3 in games decided by five or fewer points. In the second half, the Panthers are 4-1 in those games.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
UNI will play its final three games of the regular season on the road. The Panthers are 2-10 away from the McLeod Center this season, including 1-5 in road Valley contests. The Panthers have a +2.7 scoring margin at home, but they have a -12.0 margin on the road.
FIRST-YEAR SUCCESS
After earning her eight win of the season against Illinois State on Feb. 7, head coach Tanya Warren has earned the most wins by a UNI first-year head coach since the school moved to Division I in 1982. At 11-13, Warren has four more victories than the previous mark, a 7-21 season by Tony DiCecco in his first year at the helm.
FANTASTIC FRESHMEN
Jacqui Kalin and Lizzie Boeck have each picked up Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week honors this season. Boeck picked up the award following a week where she averaged 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds. Boeck shot 54.5 percent from the floor in UNI's games against Creighton and Drake. On Jan. 24, she scored 10 points and collected two rebounds against Creighton. Against Drake, the freshman scored a career-high 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting. She also grabbed seven rebounds, all on the offensive end, and collected two blocked shots in that game. Kalin has picked up the honors twice this season. She picked up the accolades Dec. 3 following a week where she averaged 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game, and on Feb. 11 after averaging 11.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists in wins over Illinois State and Indiana State.
COMEBACK KIDS
The Panthers' win over Indiana State in the McLeod Center on Saturday was the first time this season that UNI has won a game after trailing at the break. The Panthers had come back to take leads against Iowa, UMBC, South Dakota State, at Indiana State and Drake, but failed to hold on for a win until Saturday. UNI trailed the Sycamores by 11 at the break, and fell behind by 15 in the second half before coming back for a 68-65 win.
TRIPLE THREATS
The Panthers' three-point attack goes beyond guards Nicole Clausen and Traci Ollendieck While those two are combining for almost four threes per game, the rest of the team has been chipping in as well. In UNI's last two games, all nine players who saw action attempted a three-point attempt, and six different Panthers connected from behind the arc.
BREAKING THE TREND
Through UNI's first 19 games, the team that has been leading at halftime has gone on to win the game. Evansville broke the streak, however, as UNI held a three-point advantage at the break but fell to the Aces, 57-52 on Saturday. It was the first time the Panthers lost at home after leading at halftime since Jan. 11, 2007, when Evansville erased a three-point halftime deficit to take a 56-54 win.
HONORS FOR BOECK
Freshman Lizzie Boeck earned Newcomer of the Week honors on Jan. 28. The Milwaukee, Wis., native picked up the award following a week where she averaged 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds. Boeck shot 54.5 percent from the floor in UNI's games against Creighton and Drake. On Jan. 24, she scored 10 points and collected two rebounds against Creighton. Against Drake, the freshman scored a career-high 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting. She also grabbed seven rebounds, all on the offensive end, and collected two blocked shots in that game. Boeck is averaging 7.5 points and 3.3 rebounds this season.
THIRTYSOMETHINGS
UNI gave up just 30 points against Wichita State on Saturday, the fewest points allowed since moving to Division I in 1982. It was the second time this season the Panthers held an opponent to fewer than 40 points, and the fourth time since moving to Division I. This was the fewest points allowed by UNI since topping Luther 31-30 on Feb. 17, 1973.
GUARDING THE BOARDS
A trio of Panther guards has been clearing the boards for UNI over the last seven games. Danielle Wubbens, Traci Ollendieck and Nicole Clausen combined for an average of 15.7 rebounds per game during that stretch. Ollendieck is the Panthers' second-leading rebounder on the season, averaging 4.8 per game.
BY MENNEN
Alexa Mennen has turned into a new player as the Panthers have entered MVC play. In UNI's 11 non-conference games, Mennen averaged 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per contest. In the Panthers' five league games, however, the sophomore is averaging 10.0 points, third on the team, and a team-leading 5.6 rebounds per contest. She is shooting 58.3 percent from the floor during that span, and she has collected two blocked shots and four steals in league play.
BELL JOINS PANTHERS
Des Moines native Charmaine Bell has transferred from Northern Illinois to join the Panther team. The 5-10 guard owns several school records at Roosevelt High and was twice named state tournament MVP. She will sit out the rest of this season and the fall 2008 semester, according to NCAA rules. At this time she is planning on redshirting all of next season so she will enter the 2009-10 campaign with three full years of eligibility.
BACK ON TRACK
The Panthers started the season as one of the hottest three-point shooting teams in the nation, shooting 37.2 percent from behind the arc and averaging 8.75 threes per game through their first eight games. After making a school-record 17 threes against UMBC, the Panthers' three-point shooting went cold, connecting on just 19-of-90 (21.1 percent) from three-point range over the next five games. The Panthers looked to be back on track against Indiana State, shooting 45.8 percent from long distance, and making 11 threes in the overtime loss. The Panthers have made 115 threes on the season, making them 67 shy of the team record for threes in a season. UNI needs to average 4.8 threes over the next 14 games to tie that mark.
STARTING ROTATION
The Panthers have used six different starting lineups this season, and 10 different Panthers have found their way into the starting five. Of the nine players currently suiting up for UNI, eight have started. Jacqui Kalin is the only Panthers to start every game this year.
DOUBLING UP
Erin Brocka recorded her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the Panthers' win over Weber State on Nov. 16.
SHARING THE WEALTH
In UNI's first four games, the Panthers had four different leading scorers. In each of those instances, the Panther who led the way also set a career high for scoring. Danielle Wubbens scored 14 to lead UNI to a win over Colorado State. Kristin Iehl set a new career mark with 15 points against Minnesota. Nicole Clausen scored 15 points to lead the Panthers past Weber State, and Clausen and Jacqui Kalin each scored 14 points to lead the Panthers against Iowa, a career mark for Kalin.
LONG DECEMBER
The Panthers hit the road for five straight away contests in December and were unable to collect a win during that span. UNI held second-half leads against both UMBC and South Dakota State but the home team was able to come away with the win in both games. The Panther offense struggled during the month, and UNI averaged just 49.8 points per game in those five contest.
KEEFE LEAVES
University of Northern Iowa senior forward Megan Keefe has left the team, head coach Tanya Warren announced last week. Keefe is leaving due to personal reasons, and she will remain enrolled in classes at UNI.
Keefe has played in 90 games for the Panthers in her career, averaging 5.6 points per game. She has started seven games this season, averaging nearly 25 minutes per game.
NEW ERA
In April, Tanya Warren became the seventh head coach of the UNI women's basketball program. Only two Panther coaches have posted winning records in their inaugural campaigns. Wanda Green finished 4-1 in the programs first season, 1968-69, and J.D. Anderson led the Panthers to an 18-10 season in 1980-81. Both seasons occurred before the Panthers moved to Division I. Warren needs eight wins to earn the most by a Panther first-year head coach in the Division I era.
YOUNG GUNS
With 11 of 12 players on the roster being freshmen and sophomores, UNI will rely on its young players to contribute right away this season. The Panthers started three freshmen and one sophomore in their win over Colorado State. Sophomore Danielle Wubbens led the Panthers with 14 points, and sophomore Nicole Clausen came off the bench to score 13. Erin Brocka scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds in her collegiate debut, and freshman Jacqui Kalin scored eight points and dished out six assists.
ONE GAME, ONE WIN
Tanya Warren earned her first career victory as a head coach when the Panthers topped Colorado State 72-58 Friday night. Only two other Panther head coaches won their debut games, Wanda Green in 1968 (the programs' first season) and J.D. Anderson in 1980. Warren is the first to accomplish the feat since UNI joined the Division I ranks in 1982.
PANTHERS SIGN THREE
UNI signed three players this November. Indy Uhlenhopp from North Butler High School and Katelin Oney and Kaitlin Armstrong from Cedar Rapids Washington High School have all agreed to play for the Panthers in 2008-09.
Indy Uhlenhopp is a three-time all-state, all-district and all-conference selection at North Butler High School. The 5-11 guard was also named to the all-state tournament team in 2005-06 and 2006-07, helping North Butler finish as 2A state champions in 2006 and 2007.
Katelin Oney averaged 15.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game as a junior. She was a first-team all-Mississippi Valley Conference selection and a second-team all-state pick that year. Along with Oney,
Kaitlin "K.K." Armstrong helped Cedar Rapids Washinton reach the state semi-finals in 2006-07, and finish as state runners up in 2005-06 and 2004-05 in class 4A. As a junior, Armstrong averaged 13.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, along with 2.2 steals and 2.8 assists.
INSIDE OUT
Danielle Wubbens spent most of the 2006-07 season in at the post. With the addition of several posts to the roster, the 5-8 sophomore has been able to move back to her natural position on the perimeter.
USED TO WINNING
UNI's four in-state freshmen all join the Panther squad after tasting success in high school Erin Brocka helped North Butler win back-to-back 2A state titles. Jacqui Kalin led Sioux City North to a 4A championship in 2007, and Nelia Olson's IKM finished second in 1A in 2007, a year after winning the state title. In class 3A, Rachel Madrigal helped Decorah finish undefeated in the regular season.
THIS SEASON AGAINST WICHITA STATE
January 19 - UNI 63, Wichita State 30
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team held Wichita State to 17 percent shooting and just nine second-half points in a 63-30 win over the Shockers Saturday night in the McLeod Center. Senior Traci Ollendieck connected on four threes to lead UNI with 18 points on the night. Wichita State's 30 points represent the fewest points allowed by the Panthers since moving to Division I in 1982. It is UNI's 18th straight win over Wichita State.
Ollendieck's 18 points led all scorers. Jacqui Kalin and Nicole Clausen each finished with 10 points for UNI. All nine players who suited up for the Panthers scored, and all nine logged 10 or more minutes of playing time. Alexa Mennen led the Panthers with nine rebounds, and Clausen grabbed seven boards to go with four steals.
The Panthers (6-9, 2-3) scored their first seven points from the free-throw line, building an early 7-3 lead. A jumper from WSU's Jacie Hoyt trimmed UNI's lead to two. Nicole Clausen connected from behind the arc on consecutive trips to cap an 8-0 run for the Panthers, giving UNI a 15-5 lead with 11:23 left in the first half.
WSU (6-12, 0-6) cut the Panther advantage to seven, 19-12 at 8:29, but UNI outscored the Shockers 14-5 over the next 4:30 to build a 33-17 lead. UNI would take a 16-point lead into the locker room, leading 37-21 at the half.
WSU scored first out of the break, but Jacqui Kalin scored on the Panthers' next trip to keep the UNI lead at 16. Kristin Iehl and Ollendieck hit threes on back-to-back Panther possessions to cap a 9-0 UNI run that put the Panthers in front, 46-23.
With the Panthers in front by 25, WSU's Frannie Vathauer knocked down a three at 11:43 to bring the score to 52-30. The Panthers did not allow the Shockers to score through the remainder of the game on the way to the win.
February 14 - UNI 64, Wichita State 54
WICHITA, Kan. -- University of Northern Iowa freshman Jacqui Kalin scored a career-high 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Panthers to a 64-54 victory at Wichita State Thursday night. The win is the Panthers' third straight and the 19th consecutive victory over the Shockers.
Wichita State (8-16, 2-10) scored first, and the Panthers answered with a layup from Kalin and a three from Ollendieck that gave UNI (10-13, 6-6) a 5-2 lead early. The Panther lead stayed between one and three points until Kalin hit a three from the right wing to put UNI in front 18-14 with 8:07 left in the half.
Whitney Rice returned it to a one-point game when she hit a three on the Shockers' next possession. Alex Bunton scored on the block for to give WSU the lead, 19-18, and then Jennifer DeGarmo drained a three to give the Shockers a four-point advantage, 22-18 with 6:08 on the clock.
Kalin hit a short jumper at the six-minute mark to end the WSU run, and Danielle Wubbens found Lizzie Boeck on the block for a basket that tied the game at 22-22. Boeck got a three from the top of a key to bounce in, putting the Panthers back in the lead, 25-22 with 4:55 remaining in the period. Wubbens scored on a layup, Nicole Clausen hit a three and Erin Brocka knocked down a 15-foot jumper to put the Panthers in front by 10, 32-22 at the two-minute mark.
Kiki Stephens put back an offensive rebound to end UNI's 14-0 run and cut the UNI lead to single digits, 32-24. Kalin scored at the one-minute mark to keep the Panther advantage at 10 points, but Kyrie Kinder hit a three from the right wing to pull the Shockers within seven, 34-27.
Kalin hit a three with 12 seconds remaining in the period to send the Panthers into the break in front by 10, 37-27.
WSU scored the first five points of the second period to cut the Panther lead in half, 37-32. UNI answered with a 6-0 run to extend its lead to 43-32.
Daria Frazier hit a three for the Shockers, and DeGarmo hit a pair of free throws to pull the Shockers back within six, 43-37 with 12:24 to play.
Clausen used a three-point play to put the Panthers back up by nine, but a free throw from Stevens and a three from DeGarmo pulled the Shockers within five, 46-41 with 10:28 remaining.
Kalin was fouled as she drove the length of the floor and hit a layup, and her free throw put UNI back up by eight, 49-41. Ollendieck returned it to a 10-point Panther lead with a pair of free throws at 7:20, and Kalin put UNI up by a dozen, 53-41, with a pair of free throws at 6:39.
Kinder scored on back-to-back trips to pull the Shockers within eight, but Brocka answered with a long jumper to keep the difference at 10 points, 55-45 with 3:50 left.
Trailing 57-47, Samantha Smith scored for the Shockers, and Daria Frazier followed with a layup as she was fouled. Her free throw pulled WSU within five with 2:10 to play, 57-52.
Clausen made one of two free throws to put UNI in front by six. Smith was fouled as she made a layup with 58 seconds left. She missed the free throw, keeping the UNI lead at four, 58-54.
The Panthers collected the rebound off the missed free throw, and Brocka was sent to the free-throw line. She hit a pair to stretch the lead to six, 60-54 with 53 seconds remaining.
UNI came up with a stop on the defensive end, and the Shockers sent Kalin to the line. She put the Panthers in front by eight with a pair of free throws with 15 seconds left, and after UNI came up with another defensive stop, Ollendieck hit a pair to put the Panther lead back at 10 points, 64-54, which would become the final score.
