CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — In an impressive display of skill, Maya McDermott scored a personal best of 37 points while Kayla Laube contributed 21 points, leading Northern Iowa to a victory over No. 8 Iowa State with a final score of 87-75 on Wednesday evening.

The Panthers, now with a record of 3-1, were down 53-45 with just over seven minutes remaining in the third quarter. However, they mounted an incredible turnaround with a dominant 31-7 run that stretched over the next 12 minutes.

McDermott displayed exceptional offensive prowess, sinking 14 of her 21 attempts from the field, which included a stellar 3-for-4 from beyond the arc.

For Iowa State, which now stands at 4-1, Audi Crooks was the standout performer, scoring 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Addy Brown added 21 points and secured a game-high 12 rebounds, although 17 of her points came in the first half before her scoring slowed down substantially during the second.

Observations reveal that Iowa State struggled to contain McDermott from the beginning. Their offensive strategy in the second half revolved around Crooks, who netted 14 of the Cyclones’ first 19 points. Meanwhile, Brown did not score for over 15 minutes into the latter half, stressing the team’s reliance on Crooks. Additionally, the Cyclones struggled with their shooting from three-point range, managing to only hit 2 of 11 attempts in the second half.

Notably, the Panthers took the court without senior forward Grace Boffeli, a previous first-team selection in the Missouri Valley Conference, who is sidelined for the season due to a knee injury sustained in a recent game against Ball State. Northern Iowa’s defense effectively limited Crooks’ opportunities for easy shots, even with Iowa State’s height advantage.

A critical moment in the game occurred when Emerson Green and Laube both knocked down three-point shots in quick succession within the final 30 seconds of the third quarter, allowing Northern Iowa to seize a 64-55 lead. This marked a turnaround after Green had missed her first seven attempts.

A notable statistic from the matchup indicated that Iowa State had won 17 of the last 19 encounters against Northern Iowa, including eight of the last nine games held at the Panthers’ home court. The Cyclones also held a record of 38-4 against Northern Iowa when scoring over 65 points in a game.

Looking ahead, Iowa State will host Drake on Sunday, while Northern Iowa does not play again until November 28, when they will compete against Auburn in the opening round of the Paradise Jam tournament in the U.S. Virgin Islands.