PEORIA, Ill. ? Northern Iowa freshman guard Jacqui Kalin nailed a baseline jumper with three seconds remaining to help UNI top Bradley, 64-62, in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams in women's basketball action Thursday night at the McLeod Center.    

Bradley (6-6 overall, 0-1 MVC) trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half, before rallying back to take a lead with just over three minutes left in the contest.  The Braves and Panthers were tied at 62-62, when Kalin's game-winning jumper with three seconds helped UNI end it's five-game losing streak and snap Bradley's four-game win streak.

Sophomore Jenny Van Kirk (Waconia, Minn./Waconia) gave Bradley a 22-21 lead with 9:15 remaining in the first half, before the Braves went cold from the field.  BU hit 2-of-11 shots and committed six of the team's 11 first-half turnovers in the final nine minutes before the break, helping UNI close the period with a 17-6 run as the Panthers took a 38-27 lead at the half.

UNI (5-6 overall, 1-0 MVC) built its lead to as many as 14 points (43-29) in the opening moments of the second half, before the Braves mounted a comeback.  Van Kirk helped spark an 18-7 BU spurt with a three-pointer with 12:53 to play.  Junior forward Monica Rogers (Forsyth, Ill./St. Teresa/Hampton) then took control of the contest.  Limited to two points and just one field goal attempt in the first 29 minutes of the ball game, Rogers scored 10 of her team-best 16 points, during a near six-minute span that helped Bradley pull even with the Panthers at 55-55 with 4:44 to play. 

Northern Iowa went back in front on a pair of free throws by Traci Ollendieck, before Rogers answered with a basket on the other end.  Van Kirk gave the Braves their first lead of the second half at 59-57 with a left-handed runner with 3:12 to play, but Alexa Mennen knotted the game at 59-59 with a pair of free throws with 2:43 remaining. 

Sophomore guard Renee Frericks (Wyoming, Minn./Forest Lake) split a pair of free throws on the Braves next possession to put Bradley ahead 60-59.  Ollendieck, the only upperclassmen on the Northern Iowa roster, hit just the fifth field goal of the half for the Panthers when she knocked down a three-pointer with 1:21 to play to put UNI back in front 62-60.

Rogers tied the game again at 62-62 with a layup with 24.1 seconds remaining.  The reigning Valley Newcomer of the Week, Rogers scored 14 of her team-best 16 points in the second half and hit 7-of-8 shots from the field in the contest.

Kalin took the ball the length of the floor after receiving the in bounds pass and nailed a seven-foot baseline jumper with three seconds remaining to give UNI a 64-62 advantage.  The Braves were unable to get a shot off as time expired after UNI tipped the in bounds pass away.  Northern Iowa won its seventh consecutive game in the all-time series and the Braves have now lost 11 consecutive conference openers dating back to the 1996-97 season.

Bradley shot 35.5 percent from the field in the first half, but recovered to shoot 50.0 percent in the second half and limited Northern Iowa to 24 percent (6-for-24) shooting over the final 20 minutes of play.  Rogers led the Braves with 16 points off the bench to go along with three rebounds and one assist.  Junior Kelly Krumwiede (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) was also in double figures with 11 points.  Van Kirk added eight points, two assists and two blocked shots while sophomore guard Skye Johnson (Olympia Fields, Ill./Marian Catholic) had seven points in 17 minutes before fouling out with 12:06 to play. 

Kalin led UNI with a game-high 17 points and also tied for game-high honors with six assists.  Mennen added 14 points off the bench and grabbed a game-high seven rebounds, while Nicole Clausen added 12 points to help pace the Panthers offensively. 

Bradley returns to action next Thursday with a 6:05 p.m. (CST) contest at Indiana State.