PITTSBURGH VS NORTHERN IOWA

PHOTO BY: @billkiser / @vidaily.news

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, St. Thomas – Kayba Laube scored 34 points, breaking a school and Paradise Jam record with 10 3-pointers, Maya McDermott added 21 points, and Ryley Goebel chipped in 13 as the University of Northern Iowa Panthers (4-3) rolled to a 90-74 victory over Pitt (5-4) on the final day of the 2024 Paradise Jam.

The Panthers controlled the opening quarter of the game, pulling ahead by as many as eight points (26-18) with just over a minute to play in the quarter before a Laube 3-pointer pulled UNI to within five at the quarter break. 

An 8-0 run to open the second quarter put UNI ahead, and after Pitt answered with a 3-pointer of their own to briefly reclaim the lead, UNI reeled off an 11-0 run to take a nine-point (40-31) lead at the 4:22 mark; and the UNI lead grew to 13 points (54-41) at the half.

UNI surged ahead in the third quarter, extending the lead to 21 points (71-50) with just over two minutes remaining in the third, and taking a 17-point lead into the fourth quarter. 

Pitt would not go quietly in the fourth, however, chipping away at the UNI lead over the first few minutes and pulling to within ten (81-71) with 3:58 remaining, but could not get closer as UNI held on.

Northern Iowa returns home to face Creighton on Saturday, Dec. 7, while Pitt will return to action on Wednesday, Dec. 7, hosting Duquesne. 

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