CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Missouri State women’s basketball fell to 19-10 (14-6 MVC) on the season with an 86-67 loss on the road at Northern Iowa (21-8, 16-4 MVC) to conclude the regular season.
The third quarter proved to be the difference-maker in this afternoon’s game as Northern Iowa outscored the Lady Bears, 21-10, out of the half to extend their lead and halt the Lady Bear momentum. Fifth-year senior Sydney Wilson opened the scoring in the third with a three out of the gate to pull MSU back within three points just 0:20 into the period.
From that point, MSU went cold offensively, as the Lady Bears were held without a field goal for over eight minutes. The Panthers took advantage, limiting MSU to just four points from the free throw line, as they extended their lead to 57-42 before Indya Green hit a jumper with 1:29 remaining in the third. With 0:04 remaining, UNI knocked down a three, putting MSU in a 17-point deficit with 10 minutes to play.
MSU turned in its best scoring quarter of the afternoon with 22 points in the fourth quarter. MSU went on a short six-point surge beginning at 7:30 in the final period to cut the deficit to 12 points. Wilson knocked down her second three of the game in response to a UNI three near the midway point of the fourth.
The Lady Bears found themselves down 20 with 2:53 remaining before Green connected on a jumper. With time winding down in the game, Green scored two buckets, while Khloe Moad scored her first points of the season with a layup and Isabelle Delaure drained a three with 0:02 on the clock, but the Lady Bears ultimately suffered an 86-67 loss on the road.
The game began with the two teams swapping two-point baskets in a planned UNI senior day recognition for Panther Cynthia Wolf. Missouri State then kicked it into gear with a six-point surge courtesy of three layups to take an early 8-2 lead on the road.
With the Lady Bears leading by four with 5:26, the Panthers put together an 8-0 run bookended by a couple of three-pointers to flip it to a four-point advantage in favor of UNI. Jade Masogayo and Thomas connected on back-to-back layups to knot the game at 17-17 with 3:27 left in the first. With MSU leading by one following four Masogayo points, the Panthers scored the final four of the opening quarter to lead 24-21.
Northern Iowa punched first in the second quarter, opening the period on a 9-0 run to make it a 12-point game. However, Missouri State threw their own punch right back, reeling of their own nine-point run sparked by back-to-back Kennedy Taylor baskets to cut the deficit to 33-30 at the 5:07 mark. A short time later, the Panthers scored six consecutive points to push the lead back to double figures for UNI. The Lady Bears scored the last six points in the half to cut the lead to six points at 41-35.
Green, Thomas and Taylor led the way for Missouri State with 12 points each, while Thomas pulled down a team-high seven rebounds and collected three steals. Wilson followed with 11 points, as Masogayo was the final Lady Bear in double figures with 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting from the field.
Collectively, the Lady Bears had 15 assists and won the battle in the paint, 34-32. However, a major advantage for UNI in the game was from behind the arc as the Panthers knocked down 11 treys to MSU’s four.
Missouri State will head to the MVC Championship in Moline, Ill., as the No. 5 seed. The Lady Bears will take on No. 12 Bradley in game two of the conference tournament. Tipoff against the Braves is set for 2:30 p.m. CT and the game will stream on ESPN+.
