University of Northern Iowa
Northern Illinois
Panthers Notch 52-45 Triumph Over Huskies
11/28/2009 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
For more highlights and postgame reaction log on to UNI Athletics on YouTube
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team notched a 52-45 victory over the visiting Northern Illinois Huskies in the McLeod Center Saturday night.
The Panthers' defensive effort was the story of the night as they held the Huskies to 32.7 percent shooting and forced 19 turnovers.
Offensively, the Panthers overcame a scoring drought in the second half that saw the home team stuck on 29 on the scoreboard until senior guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe drained a free throw with 10:24 left on the second-half clock.
The field goal drought didn't end until senior forward Adam Koch drained a three-pointer with 7:32 left in the game that gave UNI a 34-29 advantage. Koch followed that three-pointer up with another one on the Panthers' next trip on the offensive end and it gave UNI a 37-29 with just over seven minutes to go in the ballgame.
But the Huskies refused to go away quietly and trimmed the Panther lead to three at 43-40 with 3:30 left in the game. Senior Jordan Eglseder scored in the paint in the a trio of free throws later - one from Koch and two from Ahelegbe, the Huskies would get no closer than six in the closing seconds.
Koch led the Panther scoring effort with 15 points. He was joined in double figures by Ahlegbe (13) and Farokhmanesh (11). Eglseder grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. The Panthers scored a large advantage at the free throw line by drianing 16-of-27 free throws, while the Huskies made only 6-of-8 at the charity stripe.
NIU (1-4 overall) was led in scoring by Tony Nixon with nine points.
The Panthers improved to 4-1 on the season and will travel to Iowa State on Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. to take on the Cyclones at Hilton Coliseum.
