Freshmen Lead UNI Past Valpo, 81-76

Saturday, January 13

Cedar Falls, Iowa

7 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

9-9, 1-5MVC

Valparaiso

11-8, 2-4MVC

Valparaiso

UNI

Freshmen Lead UNI Past Valpo, 81-76

1/13/2018 10:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score UNI-Valpo-boxscore-2018-1

BOX SCORE (PDF) | SEASON STATS (PDF)

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team notched an 81-76 victory over the Valparaiso Crusaders on Saturday night in the McLeod Center.

UNI (9-9 overall, 1-5 MVC) saw its two freshmen combine for 43 points, 17 rebounds on 12-of-13 shooting from the field and 15-of-16 at the free throw line. Tywhon Pickford went for 23 points and nine rebounds as he drained all six of his shots from the field, which included four three-pointers. Pickford was 7-of-8 at the free throw line. Austin Phyfe, making his first career start, posted a 20-point, eight-rebound performance as he drilled 6-of-7 field goal attempts and was a perfect 8-of-8 at the foul line.

Pickford and Phyfe each set career highs in scoring on the night. Pickford's previous best of 18 had been set on three occasions, while Phyfe's previous best of eight points was set Dec. 10 vs. Dubuque.

Valparaiso (11-8 overall, 2-4 MVC) clawed its way back from a 20-point deficit with 4:39 left to only a five-point deficit with 1:22 left in the game. Valpo forced six UNI turnovers in the final 4:39 as a 69-49 UNI lead was trimmed to 74-69 after a three-pointer by Markus Golder. UNI held off Valpo and did not let the Crusaders get any closer than five points before the end of regulation.

The Panthers did not allow the Crusaders to lead during the game and held their largest lead at 23 points at 46-23 with 15:05 remaining in the contest.

UNI will be back in action in the McLeod Center on Tuesday against Drake. Tip is set for 7 p.m.

NOTES: UNI is 46-6 when scoring 80 or more points under head coach Ben Jacobson ... UNI out-rebounded Valpo, 40-27 ... the Panthers made 31-of-38 free throws, while the Crusaders made 9-of-16 at the charity stripe ... Valpo's 13 steals is the most by an opponent in the McLeod Center (previous best of 11 was done twice by Evansville on Jan. 1, 2012, and Illinois State on Feb. 23, 2014) ... UNI snapped a seven-game losing streak in the victory ... UNI improves to 23-2 all-time vs. Valparaiso ... for the first time since 1/28/87 - UNI had a pair of freshmen each score 20 points in a game ... Pickford (23 points) and Phyfe (20 points) are the first pair of Panther freshmen to do it since Maurice Newby (31 points) and Jason Reese (23 points) performed the feat vs. Northern Illinois in the UNI-Dome.