CARBONDALE, Ill. – Karli Rucker scored a career-high 28 points including six made three-pointers to lead UNI to a 76-67 win over Southern Illinois in the final road game of the regular season Sunday afternoon.
The Panthers took a 4-0 lead with back to back buckets from Rucker to start the game and never looked back. UNI led 17-11 after the first quarter and 32-26 at the half.
Rucker scored 16 of her 26 after the break and spurred the Panthers to a 44-point second half. The Panthers held Southern Illinois at arm's length for the remainder of the game and closed out the nine-point win after going 12-12 from the free throw line in the final 2:06 of the game.