CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Ashli O'Neal scored 16 points and Wendi Bibbins added another 10 but Indiana State couldn't escape a tough road battle that featured 10 ties and 11 lead changes in a 59-53 loss at Northern Iowa Sunday afternoon.
 
The Sycamores (3-13, 1-4 Missouri Valley) shot the best they have from the floor as a team in conference play this season (38.9 percent) but missed their last three field goal attempts in the game while the Panthers (8-9, 4-2) hit five of six free throw attempts over the final 1:24 to secure the win.
 
"We had some great looks there late in the game," Indiana State interim head coach Josh Keister said. "Our kids took some good shots, they just didn't fall. That is part of basketball. We had a couple turnovers in there and Northern Iowa made the plays down the stretch that they had to. I thought we had excellent chances and if we get in that situation again I know those kids will knock down those shots."
 
Despite the misses late in the game, overall Indiana State showed improvement in its offense. The Sycamores not only posted a conference-season best 38.9 percent shooting from the floor, the 33.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc is also a best in a conference game this season.
 
"I told the team afterward that we got better this weekend," Keister said. "We are disappointed in not winning but we certainly know that when you are playing two of the better programs in the league on the road, it is a difficult challenge."
 
O'Neal, who had struggled offensively over the last few games, was 6 of 11 from the floor and 2-for-4 from beyond the arc, one of five Sycamores to hit a 3-point shot in the game.
 
"That is a good thing to see, that we have more than two kids out there that can make a three," Keister said. "When you have five different kids step up and make 3s, that is always a positive and hopefully that is something we see with our team going forward."
 
Northern Iowa, a team that normally shoots 68 percent from the free throw line, was 18-for-23 from the charity stripe (78.3 percent). The Panthers hit more free throws (18) in the game than Indiana State (10) even attempted as the Sycamores were called for 21 fouls in the game compared to Northern Iowa's 12.
 
UNI regained the lead with a pair of Mikaela Morgan free throws with 1:24 to go. Trailing 54-53, Ashley Taia missed a jump shot and in battling UNI center Morgan Maahs for the rebound, was called for a foul. Maahs would hit both free throws as part of her 12-point game, giving the Panthers a 56-53 advantage.
 
Indiana State would come down the floor and find Taia in the corner, whose 3-point shot ricocheted off the rim and into UNI's hands. The Panthers would extend their lead to 58-53 with 13 seconds remaining thanks to a running jumper by Ellie Howell causing Keister and Indiana State to call timeout.
 
With the ball past midcourt, the Sycamores again had a chance to score but Taia's layup wouldn't fall and Howell would grab the rebound, forcing ISU to foul. Kennedy Kirkpatrick, who led UNI with 16 points, would hit one of her two free throws to seal a 59-53 final.
 
Maahs would add 12 points and Howell would score 11 for UNI.
 
Indiana State returns home to host Bradley (9-7, 3-2) Friday evening at the Hulman Center in the team's annual PINK game dedicated to breast cancer awareness. The Braves were unbeaten in league play before dropping a pair of home contests to Southern Illinois and Missouri State over the weekend.
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Women's Basketball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.