CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – For the first time since the 2011-12 season, Kansas State entered a game ranked among the Associated Press top-25 poll. K-State stumbled in the final non-conference game of 2016, falling at Northern Iowa on Thursday night, 67-59.
Kansas State (10-2) was led by junior guard Karyla Middlebrook with a K-State career-high 19 points and six assists. Senior guard Kindred Wesemann added 11 points and senior center Breanna Lewis chipped in with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Northern Iowa (7-4) was paced by senior Madison Weekly with 20 points. Hannah Schonhardt added a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
UNI finished the night shooting 43.8 percent (21-of-48) from the field, while K-State was held to a 38.6 percent (22-of-57) effort. The shooting performance by the Panthers was boosted by a 13-of-32 effort from beyond the arc.
The Panthers outrebounded K-State, 36-35. The Wildcats forced 15 Northern Iowa turnovers, which resulted in a 21-4 advantage in points off turnovers.
K-State built a 12-5 lead in the first quarter, as Wesemann buried a three-pointer from the corner to force a Northern Iowa timeout with 2:35 left. UNI answered with a 7-0 burst to even the game at 12-12 with 0:38 left. Peyton Williams pulled down an offensive board with 10 seconds left and knocked down the short jumper to give K-State a 14-12 lead at the end of the first period.
Middlebrook helped K-State take a 22-17 lead with 5:08 to play in the second quarter. She opened the quarter by knocking down her second 3-pointer of the game, then finished a 3-point play on a layup and free throw.
UNI ended the second quarter on a 9-4 run to even the game at the half, 26-26. A Schonhardt three-pointer started the rally and Madison Weekly continued the run with her second 3-pointer of the quarter.
Kansas State shot 31.0 percent (9-of-29) in the opening half and held UNI to a 35.7 percent (10-of-28) effort. K-State registered eight second chance points on four offensive rebounds, but the Panthers held a 21-18 edge on the glass in the opening half.
After Lewis registered her first field goal of the game to begin the third quarter, UNI went on a 13-4 run to build a 39-32 lead with 3:18 left in the frame. Schonhardt made layups on consecutive possessions and Mikaela Morgan buried a 3-pointer to force the K-State timeout. Schonhardt then added a 3-pointer of her own to increase the lead to seven.
K-State used a 7-1 run to open the fourth quarter to tie the game at 43. Middlebrook made a pair of free throws to start the rally. Kayla Goth followed with a backdoor layup and Wesemann knocked down her second 3-pointer of the night to even the game.
The Wildcats were unable to pull in front, as UNI made four 3-pointers in the final five minutes of the game to keep K-State at a distance to the end.
Following a break for the holidays, Kansas State will open Big 12 action on Thursday, Dec. 29 at (3/4) Baylor. Game time is 7 p.m.
— K-State Athletics —