CEDAR FALLS, Iowa—The University of Evansville women’s basketball team will go in search of its first Missouri Valley Conference victory of the year on Saturday, as the Purple Aces will venture west to Cedar Falls, Iowa to battle the Panthers of the University of Northern Iowa. Tip-off is set for 1:05 p.m. and Saturday’s game can be heard live on 91.5 F.M.-WUEV.

 

The Purple Aces (3-10 overall, 0-2 MVC) will be trying to bounce back from Thursday night’s 75-46 loss at Bradley. The Braves used a 21-2 run to take control of the contest, and Bradley forced 24 turnovers which turned into a 27-12 edge in points off of turnovers in the Braves’ win. 

 

The loss overshadowed another strong effort by junior forward Stephanie Bamberger, who led UE with 11 points and a career-high seven rebounds. Bamberger has posted back-to-back double-figure scoring games to open MVC play for the first time in her UE career. She has done so while shooting 64.3 percent from the floor and 50.0 percent from three-point range in Valley play.

 

Northern Iowa, meanwhile, snapped a four-game losing streak in impressive fashion on Thursday night with a 64-43 victory over Southern Illinois. Sophomore guard Jacqui Kalin paced the Panthers’ offense with 21 points, while UNI held SIU to just 25.9 percent shooting from the floor in picking up its first MVC victory of the year. Kalin, two years removed from earning MVC Freshman of the Year honors after missing last season with an ankle injury, currently leads three UNI players in double-figures with an average of 13.9 points per game.

 

Evansville leads the all-time series over UNI, 18-16, although the Panthers swept the season series from UE last year. Saturday’s game will pit the Purple Aces against one of UE’s all-time best, as former UE sharpshooter Courtney Felke is currently in her second season as a graduate assistant at UNI. Felke shined at UE from 2004-2008, while setting the school’s career record for three-point field goals made with 205.