University of Northern Iowa
Missouri State
Panthers Stumble at Missouri State, 71-54
2/9/2008 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 9, 2008
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Dale Lamberth scored a game-high 20 points to lead Missouri State to a 71-54 win over the University of Northern Iowa Saturday night at Hammons Student Center.
Lamberth was joined in double-figure scoring by Deven Mitchell with 13 and Justin Fuehrmeyer with 11. Adam Viet and Jared Josten each had 11 points to lead UNI's offense.
The Panthers got off to a strong start, opening a 13-8 lead seven minutes into the game. Viet had a three-pointer and Josten scored 10 of his 11 points during that opening stretch. Missouri State scored five straight to pull even at 13, and the score was tied as late as 18-all with 8:56 left. After MSU took the lead, UNI's Travis Brown scored to pull the Panthers within 22-20, but the Bears then went on a 17-6 run over the next five minutes to extend its advantage to 39-26. UNI scored the last four points of the half, including a three-pointer from Viet at the horn, to make the score 39-30 at intermission.
The Bears opened the second half by going on a 10-0 run, pushing its lead to 49-30. The Panthers weren't able to get closer than 16 points the rest of the way, as the Bears posted the 71-54 win.
Missouri State shot 49 percent from the field, including 50 percent from three-point range (9-for-18). UNI shot 40 percent from the floor and was 8-for-21 from behind the arc. MSU also held a 38-22 edge in rebounding.
With the win, Missouri State improved to 12-13 overall, 5-8 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while UNI fell to 14-10, 6-7. The Panthers return home to face Wichita State on Wednesday (Feb. 13), with tipoff time from the McLeod Center set for 7:05 pm.
