University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
*Bradley
Bradley Edges UNI, 71-65
1/23/2005 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 23, 2005
Peoria, Ill. - Junior guard Ben Jacobson (Sioux City, Iowa) scored a game-high 23 points, but it was not enough as Bradley defeated the University of Northern Iowa, 71-65, Saturday night at Carver Arena.
Bradley built its largest lead of the game, 57-49, with 5:48 left in the game on a layup by Braves' center Patrick O'Bryant. But UNI quickly responded, as Erik Crawford (Oakdale, Minn.) and Jacobson hit back-to-back three-pointers, and John Little (Peoria, Ill.) scored on a breakaway layup to tie the score at 57-all with 4:27 remaining.
After a timeout, Bradley's Tony Bennett hit a contested three-pointer from the right wing as the shot clock was running down to give BU a 60-57 lead that it would not relinquish. The Panthers pulled as close as two, 67-65, after Jacobson's final trey of the night with 15 seconds left, but Bennett and Marcellus Sommerville each hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds to seal the win.
The Panthers, which ranks fifth nationally in team field goal percentage, suffered through their worst shooting night of the season by far. UNI hit on just 21-of-64 field goals (.328), including just 8-of-29 on threes (.276). The Panthers' previous low shooting percentage was 27-for-64 (.424) at Cincinnati Nov. 25.
Crawford had 13 points and Grant Stout (New Sharon, Iowa) had 11 points. Jacobson led UNI with nine rebounds. O'Bryant led Bradley with 20 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
With the loss, UNI falls to 13-5 overall, 4-3 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Bradley, which has now won 15 straight home games, improves to 11-5 overall, 4-4 in MVC play.
