University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Iowa State
Panthers Claim 63-60 Victory Over Iowa State
12/2/2009 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 2, 2009
For more highlights of UNI's victory over Iowa State visit UNI Athletics on YouTube
AMES, Iowa -The University of Northern Iowa's Adam Koch and Jordan Eglseder combined for 40 points to lead the Panthers to 63-60 victory over intra-state rival Iowa State Wednesday evening in Ames, Iowa.
"That was our best 40 minutes of basketball this year," UNI head coach Ben Jacobson said. "As you saw, we needed every bit of it, at both ends of the floor. Our guys did a great job of digging in and got a few stops."
Eglseder and Koch each scored 20 points for the Panthers, with Eglseder pulling down a team-high 14 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Kwadzo Ahelegbe also scored in double-figures for the Panthers scoring 10 points, including a pair of crucial free throws in the closing seconds.
"I missed quite a few shots in the first half," Eglseder said. "Coach has been trying to get me to keep my head when that happens. I've been trying to work on that and tonight it paid off. (Brackins) is going to hit some tough shots no matter what. He's a really good player. We were just trying to change it up on him. We tried to make him think about it a little bit."
Iowa State jumped out to a 17-10 lead early in the first half off baskets from Marquis Gilstrap and Chris Colvin. Back-to-back baskets by Eglseder and Johnny Moran pulled the Panthers within three at 17-14, but a conventional three-point play by Brackins gave the Cyclones a 20-14 advantage with just over eight minutes to play in the half.
Trailing 23-16 Koch rattled off three straight baskets to pull the Panthers within 25-22. Both teams traded baskets in the following possessions, including treys from ISU's Lucca Staiger and Ali Farokhmanesh.
The Panthers turned back-to-back turnovers by the Cyclones into baskets to cut the ISU lead to 34-31, but Diante Garrett scored with a second left to give Iowa State the 36-31 lead heading into the halftime break.
Eglseder scored two early baskets to start the second half and pull the Panthers within 38-35. Ahelegbe was then fouled on the ensuing Panther possession and drained both free throws to pull UNI within one at 38-37. Koch then drained a three from the top of the key to give UNI their first lead since the 16-minute mark of the first half.
ISU regained the lead off back-to-back treys with just over 12 minutes to play in the contest. ISU maintained a slim lead in the following minutes before Eglseder scored back-to-back baskets in the paint to give UNI a one-point lead with just under four minutes remaining.
ISU then took a one point lead with three minutes remaining when Craig Brackins sunk a pair of free throws. The Panthers held Brackins to just two points in the second half, with 11 of his 13 points coming in the first half.
"Coach Jacobson wasn't born last night," ISU head coach Greg McDermott said. "He knows how important Craig is to our team. I thought we missed him some, but there were times Craig could've worked harder to get it. But, it's tough to ask him to do more than he is doing."
Farokhmanesh gave the Panthers the lead for good with 36 seconds remaining when he drained a three from the corner.
ISU's Garrett sunk one of two free throws with 15.6 seconds left to slim the Panther lead to one at 61-60. Ahelegbe drained two free throws to put the Panthers up by three with just under ten seconds remaining.
ISU had one last chance to score with two seconds remaining, but Brackins' three point attempt fell well short of the basket.
"It was pretty obvious to anyone that watched the game that UNI was the tougher team; that is disheartening," McDermott said. "There were loose balls and there were too many purple shirts on the floor."
UNI enjoyed a significant advantage in the paint, outscoring the Cyclones 26-18. UNI also turned 14 Iowa State turnovers into 14 points.
UNI (5-1) returns to the McLeod Center Dec. 8 to further their attempt at capturing the mythical state title, hosting Iowa. Tipoff is set for 7:05.
