The UNI women’s basketball team kicked off their season on Tuesday with an exhibition game against the Cornell Rams in the McLeod Center. This marked the first and only exhibition game for the Panthers before the official start of their season. The Panthers wanted to put every other team on notice and they did just that with this showcase of talent. The Panthers took down the Rams 97-46 in this dominant exhibition. 

The Panthers were showcasing a new lineup following the absence of some starters from last year’s season. However, this starting lineup had no shortage of chemistry right off the bat. The Panthers were firing from every direction shooting over 50% from the floor for the entirety of the game. The Panthers also stayed consistent at the free throw line, making six out of their nine attempted free throws. The bench showed out in the third quarter, with a game high 32 point quarter for UNI. 

The Panthers put their scoring ability on full display as four different players had 12 points or more. Grace Boffeli led the Panthers in scoring with 18 points along with 11 rebounds, giving her the only double-double on the night. Seven of Boffeli’s rebounds were offensive boards, showing that she will be a force to be reckoned with in the paint for this season. Ryley Goebel and Riley Wright both had 13 points in the exhibition victory. The duo obtained their points from behind the arc with multiple 3-pointers between the two. This may also be a sign to come as Goebel and Wright look to improve their 3-point percentage throughout the year. Wright also had an impressive game on the defensive side of the ball, leading the team in steals with four. Maya McDermott scored a total of 12 points on the night while also spreading the ball around to her teammates, leading the team in assists with five. McDermott’s ability to pass the ball was evident from last season as she looks to solidify that side of her guard play style throughout the season. 

UNI defeated Cornell in virtually every statistical category in the exhibition. The Panthers asserted their dominance on the boards with 46 rebounds compared to Cornell’s 15. The Panthers also took much better care of the ball, only turning the ball over 12 times versus the Rams’ 21. The Panthers also had 13 steals on the night while their opponents forced seven of them. 

The Panthers made their mark in their lone exhibition game of the season before they look to the beginning of the official season. The Panthers will commence their season on Monday, Nov. 7, at home against the St. Thomas Tommies. The home opener will tip off at 5 p.m. in the McLeod Center.