ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis University women's basketball defeated Northern Iowa 62-58 on Sunday afternoon at Chiafetz Arena for first victory of the season.
Northern Iowa got off to a strong start, knocking down five of its first eight shots, prompting a quick Saint Louis timeout within the first three minutes of the game. After the Panther's 9-0 run, they led by 11 points before the Billikens fought their way back into the game.
The Billikens narrowed the gap to a six-point deficit as Saint Louis slowed the Panthers' offense, forcing five UNI turnovers in the last four minutes. Zya Nugent energized the Bills' offense with seven points on 2-3 shooting in the first 10 minutes.
A cold spell plagued both teams with a scoreless three-and-a-half-minute stretch to start the second quarter. Saint Louis eventually found its rhythm, igniting its offense with a 10-0 run against the Panthers. Northern Iowa was limited to 1-10 shooting during that period, and moments later, off a Mia Bergstrom three-pointer, the Billikens took a 24-23 lead for the first time in the game.
Bergstrom and Alexia Nelson lead the SLU offense with a combined 14 points as the Billikens outscored the Panthers 18-12 in the quarter to tie the game at 32-32 at halftime.
The Panthers started the second half with a 6-0 run to regain the lead. Northern Iowa's offense continued to score until the Billikens rallied back in the quarter with the help of free throws (6-8 FT) and a mid-range jumper at the buzzer by Zhykera Brown. The Billikens also held UNI scoreless for the last three minutes of the quarter, cutting the Panther's lead to four points.
Both the Billikens and the Panthers exchanged baskets to start the fourth quarter before the Billikens took control for the rest of the game. The Saint Louis defense remained strong as the Panthers finished the game with one for their last nine field goals. The Billikens secured their first win of the season thanks to a Brown three-pointer with 32 seconds remaining to clinch the victory.
NOTABLES
- Zya Nugent records her first double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
- Alexia Nelson lead all scorers with 17 points.
- Mia Bergstrom finished with 10 points coming off the bench, including five points in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
The Billikens return home for a midweek game against Southern Indiana on Wednesday, Nov. 12, with a 7 p.m. tipoff.
