MOLINE, Illinois – The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team (18-12) used a stingy defensive performance to overpower Illinois State (14-16) with a 56-36 win and advance to the semifinal of the 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
With the victory, UNI advances to Saturday's semifinal game against second-seeded Missouri State on Saturday at 4 p.m. CT. The Panthers will be seeking their third-straight trip to the MVC Tournament title game.
Megan Maahs once again led the Panthers, as the sophomore posted a 15-point and seven-rebound performance. Senior Kennedy Kirkpatrick added 10 points to round out the double-digit scoring for UNI on Friday, while Abby Gerrits scored nine points off the bench.