Redbirds Fall In MVC Opener At UNI, 68-54

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Northern Iowa jumped out to an early double-digit lead over Illinois State in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both squads and never trailed the rest of the way, as the Redbirds (4-5, 0-1 MVC) could not overcome the slow start and fell to the Panthers (3-4, 1-0 MVC) on Wednesday night at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

HOW IT HAPPENED 
•    Northern Iowa jumped out to an 11-0 at the 6:29 mark of the first quarter, before head coach Kristen Gillespie called timeout to calm her team down … ISU started the game 0-for-6 before Addison Martin made the first field goal of the game for the Redbirds.
•    The Panthers would later jump out 15-point lead at 20-5, before Martin connected on a jumper once again to cut the UNI lead to 20-7 before a late free throw made the score 21-7 in favor of UNI after the first quarter.
•    The Redbirds got off to a hot start to start the second quarter, as Doneelah Washington drilled a three pointer and Trista Fayta nailed a couple of free throws to cut the UNI advantage to single digits at 21-12 three minutes in.
•    Back-to-back-to-back three-pointers by Washington, Kya Hurt and Madison Austin would then cut the lead back to single digits at 29-21 with just under two minutes to play before halftime.
•    A layup by Washington with eight seconds left would make the score 34-25, as she went into double figures with 10 points, but a three-pointer by the Panthers at the buzzer gave them a 37-25 lead at the break.
•    UNI would grow their lead to 20 points at 46-26, before Fayta connected from three-point range with 3:54 left in the third quarter and she then hit a pair of free throws to move into double figures and trim the deficit to 46-31.
•    The Redbirds would continue to chip away at the Panthers advantage, as Hurt connected on a fastbreak jumper before Washington drilled her third trey of the contest to make the score 50-38 in favor of UNI at the end three quarters of play.
•    The Panthers would lead by as many as 18 points at 58-40 in the final quarter of play, before the Redbirds went on an 8-0 to cut the lead back to 10 at 58-48 after Hurt connected on a fastbreak layup with 2:29 to play.
•    The two teams would trade baskets down the stretch and the Panthers would eventually pull away for a 68-54 victory. 

HIGHLIGHTS 
•    Fayta led all scorers in the contest with a career-high tying 19 points, including an 8-for-10 effort at the charity stripe … she also added seven assists, six rebounds and two steals in an all-around effort for ISU.
•    For the ninth game in a row, Martin finished in double figures for the Redbirds as she finished the game with 10 points … she has now scored in double figures in every game this season for ISU.
•    Washington, who led the Redbirds with 10 first-half points, finished the game just short of a double-double with 15 points and eight rebounds … she was also a career-best 3-for-4 from three-point range in the contest and added four steals and three blocked shots against the Panthers.

UP NEXT 
The Redbirds will host in-state foe Eastern Illinois in a non-conference matchup on Sunday, December 7, with tipoff set for 2 p.m. on Doug Collins Court at CEFCU Arena. Fans are encouraged to bring a new teddy bear to the game for the annual teddy bear toss, with all bears being donated to the Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington Normal.

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