University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Iowa State
UNI Topples Iowa State, 61-48
11/27/2007 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 27, 2007
Ames, Iowa - Senior point guard Jared Josten scored 18 of his career-high 20 points in the second half to lead the University of Northern Iowa to a 61-48 win over Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum.
In the second half, Josten connected on 4-of-8 shots from the floor and was a perfect 9-for-9 at the free throw line as the Panthers pulled away late. Josten scored 13 of the team's final 15 points, including hitting all nine free throws in the final three and a half minutes.
Eric Coleman made his first start of the year and responded with his fourth double-double of the season. The senior center scored 10 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while blocking three shots and dishing out two assists. Freshman Kerwin Dunham scored nine points, while fellow freshman Lucas O'Rear scored six points and grabbed six rebounds off the bench. Jordan Eglseder, who didn't start after suffering from the flu the last few days, scored six points in the first half.
Wesley Johnson got Iowa State off to a good start, hitting a pair of early three-pointers as the Cyclones took a 10-4 lead into the first media timeout. But after ISU freshman forward Craig Brackins picked up his second foul with 15:30 left, UNI started a 14-0 run. UNI's inside players had 12 of those 14 points, as the Panthers moved in front 18-10 with 9:35 left. Another Johnson trey started a 7-0 ISU run that pulled the Cyclones within 20-19 with just over five minutes left, but UNI responded with an Adam Koch turnaround jumper, followed by a layup and two free throws from Coleman, to push its lead back to 26-19. The Panthers held a 31-26 lead at halftime.
The Cyclones started the second half on a 12-0 run to take a 38-31 lead, as UNI missed its first seven shots after intermission. Josten got the Panthers on the board in the second half with a jumper in the lane with just under 13 minutes to go, and shortly after that converted a conventional three-point play to pull UNI within 39-38. UNI pulled even on a Dunham three-pointer with 7:41 left, and took the lead for good, 46-43, on a trey from the corner by Travis Brown with 5:13 to go. Brown's trifecta was part of a 16-2 run down the stretch that sealed the win.
Johnson, playing his first game of the year for Iowa State after injuring his foot in an exhibition game, led the Cyclones with 18 points, including hitting four three-pointers. Rahshon Clark and Jiri Hubalek each scored 10 for ISU.
It was just UNI's third win in Ames in 27 games played, and first since the 1997-98 season when head coach Eldon Miller led the Panthers to a 54-48 victory.
With the victory, UNI improves to 5-1 on the season, while Iowa State falls to 2-3. The Panthers return home this Saturday (Dec. 1) to face Loyola-Chicago at the McLeod Center, with tipoff set for 7:05 pm.
