CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (Interstat) — Ryley Goebel scored 32 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as Northern Iowa edged Bradley 73-70 in a Missouri Valley Conference women’s basketball game Sunday at McLeod Center. The Panthers (9-8) held a narrow lead throughout a tight second half after the teams were tied at 21 after the first quarter. Goebel, a 5-foot-11 junior from Urbana, Iowa, added five blocks in 35 minutes. Jenna Twedt added 16 points for Northern Iowa. Kaylen Nelson led Bradley (11-7) with 23 points. Maya Foz scored 16 for the Braves, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Ellie McDermid pulled down 13 rebounds. Attendance was 2,228.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (Interstat) — In a game defined by defensive pressure and a dominant individual performance, the Northern Iowa Panthers edged the Bradley Braves 73-70 in a Missouri Valley Conference women’s basketball clash Sunday at McLeod Center. The Panthers, improving to 9-8 overall, leveraged a disruptive defense that forced 16 Bradley turnovers and converted them into critical scoring opportunities. Northern Iowa recorded 13 steals and five blocks, consistently frustrating the Braves’ offensive flow. Bradley, which fell to 11-7, struggled to find consistent offense outside of its top scorers, managing only four assists as a team against the Panthers’ active hands. The game’s central figure was Northern Iowa’s Ryley Goebel. The 5-foot-11 junior from Urbana, Iowa, delivered a career-defining performance, scoring 32 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Her impact was felt on both ends, adding five blocked shots and three steals in 35 minutes. Goebel’s interior presence was overwhelming, particularly in the first half where she repeatedly scored through contact and cleaned the offensive glass, helping the Panthers establish a narrow 37-36 lead at halftime despite Bradley’s efficient three-point shooting. Bradley’s Kaylen Nelson of Tulsa, Oklahoma, kept the Braves in contention with a team-high 23 points. Her backcourt mate, Maya Foz from Mississauga, Canada, added 16 points and five assists, but also committed six turnovers against the relentless Northern Iowa pressure. Tamia Perryman contributed 13 points for the Braves, who shot a respectable 43.5% from three-point range but were outscored 38-24 in the paint. The most critical sequence of the game unfolded in the final minute with the score tied at 70. After a missed Bradley jumper, Northern Iowa’ Taryn Wharton was fouled and calmly sank two free throws with 27 seconds remaining to give the Panthers a 72-70 lead. Bradley called a timeout to set up a final play, but Maya Foz was fouled before a shot could be attempted. Foz missed the first of two free throws, then made the second to trim the lead to 72-71 with 23 seconds left. Northern Iowa inbounded the ball to Elise Jaeger, who was immediately fouled. Jaeger missed the front end of a one-and-one, but Bradley’s Ellie McDermid was called for a foul on the rebound attempt, sending Northern Iowa’s Bri Robinson to the line. Robinson made one of two free throws, pushing the lead to 73-71 with 15 seconds left. Bradley had one final chance to tie or win. The Braves worked the ball to Tamia Perryman for a potential game-tying three-pointer, but her attempt was off the mark as time expired, sealing the Northern Iowa victory. Beyond Goebel’s heroics, Northern Iowa received balanced support. Jenna Twedt scored 16 points, while Elise Jaeger filled the stat sheet with seven points, five assists, and four steals. The Panthers’ bench, led by Bri Robinson’s nine rebounds, outrebounded Bradley 13-7 on the offensive glass, leading to 15 second-chance points. Bradley’s Ellie McDermid was a force on the boards with 13 rebounds, but the Braves were ultimately undone by their ball security and an inability to contain Goebel. The Panthers’ defensive rating of 107.2, fueled by their 13 steals, proved more efficient than Bradley’s 95.0 offensive rating. The win was a significant result against the statistical odds, as Northern Iowa was projected with a 90.7% probability to win by National Statistical’s ELO system. It also snapped a two-game conference losing streak for the Panthers. Bradley, coming off a road win at Drake, saw its two-game win streak end. Both teams continue Missouri Valley Conference play next weekend. Northern Iowa hosts Murray State on Friday, while Bradley returns home to face Valparaiso. The two teams will meet again in Peoria on Feb. 5.

Preview: Bradley Braves at Northern Iowa Panthers CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (Interstat) — A pivotal Missouri Valley Conference women’s basketball matchup awaits Sunday at McLeod Center as the surging Bradley Braves visit the Northern Iowa Panthers. Bradley (10-6, 2-2 MVC) enters with momentum, having won two straight, including a 79-74 victory over Indiana State last Sunday. The Braves’ offense has shown potency, averaging 75 points in their last two wins. The Braves are led by guard Tamia Perryman, who is coming off a standout 20-point, five-assist, three-block performance against Indiana State. Perryman has averaged 16.8 points over her last five games, providing consistent scoring punch. She is complemented by Kaylen Nelson, who also scored 20 points in the win over the Sycamores. Northern Iowa (8-8, 2-3) looks to rebound on its home court after back-to-back road losses at Murray State and Belmont. The Panthers’ fortunes often hinge on forward Ryley Goebel, a versatile force who has recorded two double-doubles in her last five games. Goebel is averaging 15.8 points and 9.4 rebounds over that stretch, including an 18-point, 10-rebound, four-block effort in a dominant win over Southern Illinois on Jan. 4. The Panthers have been strong at home this season, where they are 5-2, including a 3-0 mark in MVC play at McLeod Center with an average margin of victory of 31 points. Bradley’s recent success has been fueled by improved defense, holding its last two opponents to an average of 59 points. Containing Goebel in the paint will be a primary objective. For Northern Iowa, slowing Perryman’s perimeter creation and finding consistent scoring beyond Goebel will be critical to halting its skid. This contest is the first of a regular-season series between the teams, who will meet again in Peoria, Illinois, on Feb. 5. Sunday’s result will provide early positioning in the tightly contested middle of the MVC standings. Tip-off is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Cedar Falls.