Just a day after the Northern Iowa mens basketball team plays Illinois State at Redbird Arena, the Panther womens team goes against the Redbirds.
UNI, 11-9 overall, 6-3 in the Missouri Valley Conference, held Illinois State, 5-13, 3-6 to just 44 points in a 53-44 Panther victory Jan. 4 in Cedar Falls. Both coaches agree that the Redbirds are better than they were four weeks ago.
We were really struggling offensively then, said ISU coach Jenny Yopp. As a team, were getting more scoring opportunities now. Of course, with the second round (of the Valley schedule), you have to be able to add to what youre doing.
Tony DiCecco, who has turned UNI from a league doormat into a league contender during his seven years, believes Illinois State will be more of a challenge the second time around. It took four years for DiCecco to lead UNI to its first winning record in league play, but UNI has sustained its success, with winning records each of the past three seasons. The Panthers are just two games off the pace in the Valley race in 2002.
(Redbird Arena) is a tough place for visiting teams to win and Illinois State has proven they can play well against anybody on their home court, said DiCecco. For the UNI women, Normal has been just as tough--17 losses in 19 visits--a place to play as the men--who lost 15 of their first 17 against ISU in Normal. Both UNI womens wins have come in the last two years.
The Panthers have a balanced team--No. 3 in the Valley in scoring defense, field goal percentage and field goal percentage defense. DiCeccos team has balanced scoring led by powerful Amy Swisher with 14.8 points per game. Senior Abbi Schutte, UNIs 6-foot-4 center, averages 11.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. Sharpshooting Katie Miller comes off the UNI bench to average 10.0 points per game.
We know UNI will be a well-coached, well-prepared team, said Yopp, whose squad was battling a virus which began with point guard Taren OBrien falling ill during Saturdays 59-55 loss to Southwest Missouri State. The only good thing about the virus is that it seems to only last a day, and then its gone. But its hit a couple of our players and (athletics trainer) Von Logan pretty hard.
Yopp already is without 2000-01 scoring leader Sharon Blade, who continues to be sidelined with a foot ailment. Blade has missed the last four ISU games. The UNI game is the third of four straight home games for the Redbirds, who have split the first two. The next ISU win would surpass the 2000-01 total of five and match the 1999-2000 season total of six victories.
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