VALPARAISO, Ind. (Interstat) — The Northern Iowa women’s basketball team delivered a commanding wire-to-wire victory Monday afternoon, defeating Valparaiso 86-52 at the Athletics-Recreation Center in a Missouri Valley Conference matchup.

The Panthers established their dominance early, opening the game on a 12-2 run and never looking back. Northern Iowa’s offensive efficiency and defensive pressure overwhelmed the Beacons from the outset, leading 27-17 after the first quarter and extending the advantage to 47-30 by halftime. The Panthers maintained a relentless pace in the second half, outscoring Valparaiso 39-22 over the final two quarters to secure the lopsided win.

The most important part of the game was Northern Iowa’s explosive start and sustained three-point shooting barrage in the first half, which effectively decided the contest before the intermission. The Panthers connected on 10 of their 15 three-pointers before halftime, building a lead that ballooned to as many as 37 points in the fourth quarter and never allowed Valparaiso to entertain thoughts of a comeback.

Ryley Goebel, a 5-foot-11 forward from Urbana, Iowa, led Northern Iowa with a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in 25 minutes. She was instrumental in the Panthers controlling the glass, as the team outrebounded Valparaiso 52-38.

Jenna Twedt of Atkins, Iowa, provided a game-high 18 points for the Panthers, fueled by a 4-for-9 performance from beyond the arc. Kaylynn Janes added 16 points, while Taryn Wharton and Bri Robinson contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively. Robinson also dished out seven assists.

Northern Iowa shot 42.9% from the field and an impressive 48.4% from three-point range. Defensively, they forced 21 Valparaiso turnovers, converting them into 19 points, while committing only 12 turnovers themselves. The Panthers’ offensive rating of 108.8 starkly contrasted with Valparaiso’s 63.0.

For Valparaiso, which remains winless on the season, Fiona Connolly scored 10 points. Kamryn Winch, a 6-3 freshman from Bonne Terre, Missouri, neared a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds while also blocking two shots.

The victory improves Northern Iowa to 6-6 overall. The Panthers conclude their non-conference schedule and return to MVC play on Wednesday at Illinois-Chicago.

Valparaiso falls to 0-13. The Beacons will look for their first win when they travel to face Indiana State on Thursday.

The game was played before an announced crowd of 335. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Northern Iowa entered with a 95.10 percent probability to win.