As the year’s first flurries fell from the autumn sky, Northern Iowa fans packed the McLeod Center to witness one of the most anticipated games in UNI women’s basketball history. On Wednesday, Nov. 20, the Panthers hosted No. 8-ranked Iowa State University in a star-studded matchup. The Cyclones looked to cling to their undefeated record en route to their national championship goal, but UNI hoped to spoil the fun and prove they can compete with the upper echelon of women’s basketball talent.
Entering the contest as 10-point underdogs, Northern Iowa head coach Tanya Warren would need career nights from her players on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor to overcome the Cyclones. Winning the turnover battle and shooting well from beyond the arc would be key to the Panthers’ success.
And they did just that.
With the help of shooting 48% from deep and committing half the amount of turnovers as Iowa State (7-14), UNI walked away with an astounding 87-75 victory.
Senior point guard Maya McDermott was the catalyst for the Panthers’ success, pouring in a career-high 37 points on 14-21 from the field and 3-4 from 3-point range. McDermott’s presence was also prominent in the defensive backcourt. She nabbed three steals, two of which resulted in easy baskets for her and her team. However, McDermott’s most impressive metric doesn’t necessarily show up on a stat sheet. Her clutch shooting and timely scoring were vital to the Panthers. McDermott’s first crucial bucket came with 56 seconds left in the first quarter, with UNI trailing only by two points. Three Cyclone defenders hounded McDermott on an off-balance floater just in front of the right elbow as the shot clock winded down. The seemingly impossible attempt swished perfectly through the net, tying the contest at 21 a piece.
McDermott’s punctual scoring continued nearing the halfway mark in the second quarter. Setting up around the left block, McDermott progressed the top of the key by curling off two off-ball screens in a beautifully designed play. Rising with a Cyclone hand in her face, she calmly knocked the 3-pointer down to cut Iowa State’s lead to one possession as the Panthers trailed 41-44 at the break.
After the Cyclones opened the second half on a 10-2 run, it looked like the game was slipping away from UNI. However, McDermott again pulled through. Using a steal-and-score to ignite the Northern Iowa comeback, she helped the Panthers outscore the Cyclones by 12 points in the third quarter alongside sharpshooter Kayba Laube.
Trailing 51-53 with just under four minutes remaining in the third quarter, Laube received the ball in the right corner on a baseline out-of-bounds play. Iowa State defender Aili Tanke immediately contested Laube after she caught the pass, not allowing her any room to shoot the basketball.
Yet she did it anyway.
Laube sank the corner trey in a shot that can only be described as a wild display of confidence and shooting prowess. She gave the Panthers their first lead since 1:52 left in the second quarter.
As the Panthers were looking to extend their lead with time expiring in the third quarter, a McDermott steal provided UNI with one last scoring opportunity as the clock neared zero. With both teams frantically rushing down the floor, McDermott found Laube shot-ready almost five feet beyond the top of the key.
“The roof is gonna come off,” echoed Panther Sports Network commentator Eric Braley as Laube released the ball.
And it very well might have.
Laube drilled the logo triple just before the buzzer sounded, lifting the entire McLeod Center to their feet in a crazed frenzy. Laube finished with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists while going 5-7 from distance in a monstrous game.
Amid an offensive masterclass, the Panthers’ interior defensive performance was also essential to their victory. Facing Iowa State center and preseason Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award watch list member Audi Crooks, slowing down the star is difficult for any team. Although Crooks finished with 22 points and ten rebounds on 50% from the field, it came as too little, too late for the Cyclones. Northern Iowa forwards Elise Jaeger and Ryley Goebel held Crooks to 2-7 from the field to start the game. Crooks’s slow start allowed UNI to be within striking distance throughout the match, which played in the Panthers’ favor.
The sounding of the fourth-quarter buzzer meant court storming for Panther fans, who celebrated their women’s program’s first-ever win against a top-10 ranked team. In an astonishing upset, the purple and gold hope to carry this momentum throughout their season.
Northern Iowa women’s basketball will be back in action at the McLeod Center on Dec. 10 for a non-conference matchup against the University of South Dakota.
