UNI (4-3 / 0-0 MVC) vs. Creighton (6-2 / 0-0 Big East) 2 p.m. CT | December 7, 2024 McLeod Center | Cedar Falls, Iowa ESPN+ Panther Sports Radio Network CEDAR FALLS — The UNI women’s basketball team is set to return to the McLeod Center on Saturday, December 7, to face the Creighton Bluejays, […]
UNI (4-3 / 0-0 MVC) vs. Creighton (6-2 / 0-0 Big East)
- 2 p.m. CT | December 7, 2024
- McLeod Center | Cedar Falls, Iowa
- ESPN+
- Panther Sports Radio Network
CEDAR FALLS — The UNI women’s basketball team is set to return to the McLeod Center on Saturday, December 7, to face the Creighton Bluejays, the former school of coach Warren. This upcoming clash marks the 63rd encounter between the two programs, with Creighton leading the historical series 42-20. In their most recent face-off, the RV Bluejays triumphed with a commanding 115-62 win in Omaha, Nebraska. In that matchup, Taryn Wharton topped the UNI scoring chart with 16 points, and Emerson Green was the sole other Panther to reach double figures with 10 points.
UNI comes into this game following a 1-2 performance at the Paradise Jam Tournament, where they encountered Auburn, Kansas, and Pittsburgh. The Panthers narrowly lost to Auburn and Kansas by a total of just four points (one-point defeat to Auburn and three-point loss to Kansas) but clinched victory against Pittsburgh with a 16-point margin.
In the contest against Pitt, Kayba Laube set a new UNI and Paradise Jam record by sinking 10 three-pointers in a single game. She concluded the game with a career-high of 34 points, making all her field goals from beyond the arc. Laube also became the fifth Panther to reach the notable 10 three-pointer threshold in Missouri Valley Conference history. Her exceptional performance earned her the MVC Player of the Week title following the Paradise Jam.
UNI has kept active its program-record streak of 539 consecutive games with at least one three-pointer, a run which began on December 6, 2008, against Green Bay (6-of-19), after a game where they were 0-of-14 from three-point range on December 3, 2008, against Northern Illinois. The Panthers made 16 three-pointers against Pittsburgh to extend this streak.
As of December 2, the Panther squad leads the Valley in several statistical areas, such as blocks per game (4.7), three-point percentage (42.9), turnover margin (3), and turnovers per game (14.9). UNI’s three-point shooting percentage of 42.9% ranks third in the nation, trailing only Stanford’s 44% and Nebraska’s 43.4%. Individually, several Panther players rank highly in the Valley, including Maya McDermott, who leads the MVC in field goals (62), points (170), and points per game (24.3). She ranks second in assist/turnover ratio (2.56), assists (41), assists per game (5.9), three-point percentage (50), three-pointers (22), and three-pointers per game (3.14). McDermott’s 24.3 points per game places her third nationally, while her total points of 170 ranks 11th. Kayba Laube leads the Valley in three-pointers made (31), three-pointers per game (4.43), and three-point shooting percentage (56.4). Laube is among the top three in all those metrics nationally, being second in threes per game and third in total threes and three-point percentage. Ryley Goebel leads the Valley in steals (22) and steals per game (3.14), and is second in the conference for total blocks (20) and blocks per game (2.86). Goebel’s blocks per game statistic ranks eighth in the country, while her total blocks place her 10th overall.
After suffering a road loss to #10 Kansas State on November 14, Creighton has bounced back with an impressive five-game winning streak. In their last four games, the Bluejays showcased domination, winning by at least 20 points in each match. They have scored 80 points or more in all six of their victories, while their defeats were by margins of 71 and 68 points. Lauren Jensen and Morgan Maly have been pivotal in driving the Creighton offense, averaging a combined 37.8 points per game. On the defensive end, the Bluejays have improved significantly, holding their last three competitors to under 60 points each.
In the first eight games of the 2024-25 season, Creighton has maintained the same starting five: Lauren Jensen, Morgan Maly, Kiani Lockett, Molly Mogensen, and Mallory Brake. Jensen, Maly, Mogensen, and Brake account for four of last year’s returning starters, while Lockett has joined the regular lineup this season. As they prepare for their ninth matchup of the season against Northern Iowa, Lockett has been in the starting position for all eight games, and Brake has achieved 40 consecutive starts. Veteran starters Maly and Mogensen have both begun 71 straight games, dating back to the first contest of the 2023-24 season. Jensen completes this year’s starting lineup with an impressive streak of 104 consecutive starts, also starting in the first game of the 2021-22 season.
Keep up with UNI women’s basketball throughout the season on social media via Facebook (UNI Women’s Basketball), X (@UNIwbb), and Instagram (@uni_wbb). For the latest on the 2024-25 schedule and roster, as well as current Panther news and updates, visit UNIpanthers.com.
