The UNI women’s basketball team took on the Bradley Braves in a home double-header this past weekend on Friday and Saturday.  The Panthers were 8-8 coming into the game, and the Braves were 10-8 on the season before tipoff.

The Panthers won the first game on Friday night on a three-point buzzer beater by junior Kam Finley that put them over the top in a 73-72 victory. Finley had 25 points in the game to lead the UNI women. Also leading the way for the Panthers was Nicole Kroeger with 12 points and two three-pointers made. Karli Rucker had 11 points, Megan Maahs had six points, and Bre Gunnels had a career best 16 rebounds to help the Panthers to victory.

UNI had a 16 point lead going into the fourth quarter and was able to hold off the Braves’ comeback near the end.  During the game the Panthers shot 41% from the floor while Bradley shot 42% from the floor. Bradley also outshot UNI from three, shooting 47% from beyond the arc with UNI shooting 36% from three. The Panthers dominated from the free throw line, shooting 13-13.

After UNI’s victory and moving to 9-8 on the season they dropped game two of the weekend matchup, by a score of 78-63. Unlike the last game where UNI led by 16 points going into the fourth quarter, UNI was down 21 points at halftime and could not make up the deficit. Karli Rucker scored 19 points and made two three pointers to lead UNI in scoring. Bre Gunnels, coming off a career day for rebounds, was second on the team in points with 10, and Megan Maahs scored eight points on Saturday.  UNI shot 33% from the floor, and Bradley shot 47%, both big differences from Friday’s game; UNI also shot 30% from three point land to Bradley’s 43%. The Panther women were also perfect from the foul line in this one, shooting 16-16.

The weekend split moves the Panther women to 9-9 and 6-5 in MVC play. Their next games will be against Loyola-Chicago in the McLeod Center on Friday, Feb. 19 and Saturday, Feb. 20.