The University of North Alabama women’s basketball team shot 55 percent from the floor in a 90-45 rout of NJIT Monday evening in the regular-season finale at home. Brittany Panetti scored 27 points as the Lions wrapped up the No. 2 seed in the upcoming ASUN Conference Tournament.
UNA will host the opening round of the ASUN tourney on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. at Flowers Hall against either Stetson or Kennesaw State.
On Monday, UNA opened the game on a 14-5 run and never looked back. The Lions led by 12 at the end of the first quarter and took a 43-17 lead into the break.
A 25-9 run in the third quarter buried any chance of an NJIT comeback. The Lions led by the same 26-point margin midway through the period before outscoring the visitors 17-0 over the final 4:46 of playing time.
In the fourth quarter the Lions emptied the bench. All 12 roster players saw playing time with 10 scoring on the night.
Panetti’s point total was a season-high. The senior from Katy, Texas was 10-for-12 from the floor, including a perfect 3-for-3 showing from three-point range.
Emma Wallen added 19 points on the night. The fellow senior moves into second place on the team’s all-time scoring list with 1,628 career points. She trails only her sister, Ivy, who added seven points and eight assists for UNA. Jaida Bond wrapped up the top performers for the Lions with 14 points and eight rebounds.
NJIT ends its season with a 4-15 overall record, including a 1-15 mark in ASUN play. Danielle Tunstall led the Highlanders with 16 points.
UNA improves to 20-8 overall, giving the Lions three straight 20-win seasons for the first time in program history.
The team’s five seniors, including Panetti, both Wallen sisters, Ansley Eubank (five points, seven steals and four rebounds) and Kenysha Coulson (seven points, six assists, three rebounds) were honored in a Senior Day ceremony after the game. The group has helped produce 84 victories over the previous four seasons and represents the most wins by any senior class in program history.