University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Iowa State
UNI Knocks Off Iowa State, 60-54
12/1/2010 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team scored a 60-54 victory over intra-state rival Iowa State on Wednesday in front of 6,489 in the McLeod Center.
UNI won its 18th straight home game to set a new school record. The previous mark of 17 had been set in 1962-65 - over three seasons. UNI improved to 3-2 on the year, while Iowa State fell for the first time to drop to 6-1.
UNI's balanced offensive attack saw all five starters reach double figures with three players leading the way with 12 points.
"It was very important for us to get a win against a very good team," UNI head coach Ben Jacobson said. "We played well defensively and a got a little bounce in our step."
The Cyclones seized momentum early in the contest by taking a 14-5 lead with 12:50 left in the first half. The Panthers clawed their way back into the game and eventually took a 22-21 lead on a bucket from sophomore guard Anthony James with 3:22 left in the half.
Senior guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe sunk a pair of free throws with 51.7 seconds remaining before intermission to give the Panthers a one-point lead at the break, 26-26.
UNI came out blistering in the second half behind James, who dropped in a pair of 3-pointers in the first two and half minutes. James added another jumper with 16:14 left in the second to give UNI its biggest lead of the game so far at 34-28. Iowa State head coach Fred Hoiberg took a timeout to settle the Cyclones.
Iowa State responded from the timeout and took a 38-37 lead on a basket by Melvin Ejim with 13:22 left in the game. The squads traded the lead back and forth until junior guard Johnny Moran draine da three-pointer to give UNI a 42-40 lead with 12:33 to play.
Senior point guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe made a pair of free throws to extend the lead back to six points at 46-40 with 11:23 left in the contest. Iowa State then crawled back to within one at 46-45 when Jake Anderson hit a circus layup with 7:47 remaining.
With the score tied at 52-52, sophomore forward Jake Koch hit a 15-foot jumper from the right elbow to give UNI a lead it would not relinquish. ISU's Diante Garrett was called for a travel with 46.1 seconds and the Cyclones would climb no closer in the final minute as the Panthers drained 6-of-8 free throws.
Garrett scored a game-high 17 points for the Cyclones. Garrett was joined in double figures by Jake Anderson (14) and Scott Christopherson (10).
UNI will now travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to take on the TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday at 1 p.m. The game will be televised live on The Mtn. Network.
NOTES: The last time UNI had all five starters in double-figure scoring came last season in an 82-65 win over Siena in the McLeod Center ... Lucas O'Rear posted the first double-double of his career with 10 points and 11 rebounds ... UNI outrebounded Iowa State, 41-30, and limited the Cyclones to only seven offensive rebounds ... UNI held Iowa State to three second-chance points ... UNI is 22-4 all-time vs. non-conference opponents in the McLeod Center.
