University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Creighton
Panthers Win at Creighton, 69-66
1/6/2009 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2009
Omaha, Neb. - Freshman guard Johnny Moran scored a career-high 22 points and junior backcourt-mate Ali Farokhmanesh added 18 to lead the University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team to a 69-66 win over Creighton tonight.
Moran made 7-of-10 shots from the field and was 6-for-8 from three-point range, while Farokhmanesh made 7-for-13 field goals and a pair of treys. Four Panthers scored in double figures, as junior forward Adam Koch had 13 points and sophomore point guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe chipped in with 10. Koch grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, while Moran added eight boards. Both Koch and Ahelegbe had five assists.
The win was UNI's first in six tries at the Qwest Center, and snapped a 12-game losing streak overall in Omaha. Prior to tonight, the Panthers' last victory at Creighton was a 58-57 overtime win in the 1995-96 season, in a game played at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. It also broke a nine-game UNI losing streak to Creighton dating back to the 2003-04 season.
The Panthers made just one of their first five shots from the field and had five turnovers in the first six minutes of the game, as Creighton built a 13-5 lead. But Koch hit two free throws, O'Rear made a hook shot in the lane, and Moran drained a deep three to get UNI within 13-12 less than two minutes later.
After an O'Rear tip-in pulled the Panthers within 15-14 with 9:47 left in the first half, Creighton scored seven straight points to build its largest lead, 22-14. The Bluejays were still in front by eight, 26-18, with less than four minutes left in the half, but Farokhmanesh made a jumper in the lane, and also drained an NBA-range three-pointer, during a 7-0 UNI run that got the Panthers within 26-25. After Booker Woodfox hit a three for Creighton, Moran answered with a three of his own, and Koch scored inside to give UNI a 30-29 lead at halftime.
The Panthers were on fire to start the second half, hitting five of their first six shots, to extend their lead to its largest point, 42-33, with 15:39 on the clock. After CU's Cavel Witter hit a three to get the Bluejays within five, Moran answered with a trey of his own to push UNI back in front by eight. With UNI leading 49-42, Creighton made a run, scoring eight of the next nine points to go in front, 51-50, with just under 10 minutes left.
Creighton's P'Allen Stinnett nailed a three from the left wing to give Creighton its largest lead of the second half, 57-52, with less than eight minutes remaining. Farokhmanesh answered with a three of his own on the next possession, and after Stinnett made two foul shots, Moran put in another triple to get UNI within 59-58.
The Panthers pulled even at 62-all with 3:51 left on a Koch layup, before Witter made a three on the ensuing possession to give the Bluejays a 65-62 lead. But Koch responded with a conventional three-point play to even the score at 65 with two and a half minutes left.
Creighton's Booker Woodfox was fouled the next time down, but the senior guard - who stepped to the line having made 36 straight free throws - missed both foul shots. Farokhmanesh then drained a tough baseline jumper to give the Panthers a 67-65 lead with 1:12 left.
Witter was then fouled, and made one of two free throws with 42 seconds left. With UNI in possession and the shot clock running down, Farokhamnesh was fouled, and drained both free throws to give UNI a three-point lead with nine seconds left. Witter misfired on a three just before the horn to give the Panthers the victory.
UNI shot 49 percent from the field, including 56 percent in the second half, while making 8-of-19 (42 percent) on three-pointers. Creighton shot just 40 percent overall and was 6-for-18 (33 percent) from behind the arc. The Panthers also won the rebounding battle, 34-26.
With its third straight victory, UNI improved to 9-6 overall, 3-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while Creighton fell to 12-4 overall and 2-2 in The Valley. The Panthers return home this Saturday night (Jan. 10) to play host to Missouri State. Tipoff time from the McLeod Center is set for 7:05 pm.
