University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
*Creighton
Creighton Edges UNI, 55-52
1/11/2006 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 11, 2006
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Cedar Falls, Iowa - Johnny Mathies had a game-high 16 points to help lead Creighton to a hard-fought 55-52 win over the University of Northern Iowa Wednesday night. The crowd of 8,612 was the largest ever to witness a Missouri Valley Conference game in the UNI-Dome.
Grant Stout (New Sharon, Iowa) led UNI with nine points, while Brooks McKowen (Fairbank, Iowa) each had eight. Stout grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
UNI had a chance to win the game on the final possession. After Creighton's Josh Dotzler hit one of two free throws to give the Bluejays a 53-52 lead with 32 seconds remaining, the Panthers ran the clock down looking to win the game. But Jacobson's 10-footer in the lane rolled off the rim and Creighton hit two free throws to seal the win.
Mathis had 10 of his points in the first half, as Creighton went into the locker room with a 30-27 lead. Creighton led by as many as six points in the first half, but UNI remained close, thanks in part to a pair of three-pointers from freshman guard Travis Brown (Richfield, Minn.).
UNI was never able to take the lead in the second half, and Creighton went up by as many as seven (44-37) with nine minutes left. The Bluejays still held a 50-44 lead with less than six minutes remaining, but UNI went on an 8-2 run - including three-pointers by Jacobson and John Little (Peoria, Ill.) - to tie the game at 52 with 1:56 on the clock. Neither team would score again until Dotzler's free throw that provided the winning margin.
With the win, Creighton improves to 10-4 overall, 4-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while UNI falls to 14-3 overall, 4-2 in conference play. The win by CU snaps a 13-game UNI home court winning streak. The Panthers hit the road this Saturday (Jan. 14) for a road tilt at Illinois State. Tipoff from Redbird Arena is set for 4:05 p.m.
