University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
South Carolina State
Panthers Post 66-52 Win Over South Carolina State
12/17/2010 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team put a mark in the win column for the fifth time in six games and improved the nation's sixth-longest active home-court winning streak to 20 in a row with a 66-52 victory over South Carolina State.
UNI (6-3 overall) had all nine of its players that saw action score in the game, led by sophomore forward Jake Koch's 13 points. Junior guard Johnny Moran tossed in 10 points, with eight of those coming in the second half.
South Carolina State (4-5 overall) was led by Darnell Porter's game-high 15 points. Porter drained 5-of-10 shots from the field, including 4-of-6 from distance for the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 11-4 lead five minutes into the game, behind a trio of 3-pointers. The Panthers chipped away at the Bulldogs' advantage with a quick 6-0 spurt to narrow the lead to one at 11-10.
The Panthers eventually took their first lead of the game at the 6:13 mark on a 3-pointer from senior point guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe from the left wing. The Panthers pushed the lead to 13 at the half on a layup from sophomore guard Anthony James with eight seconds remaining.
UNI's defense held SCSU in check the final 10:28 of the first half by not allowing the visitors to make a field goal in that stretch.
UNI kept the momentum going into the second half and led by 20 at 48-28 with 12:15 to go following a 3-pointer from redshirt freshman guard Matt Morrison. The field goal was Morrison's first made shot as a collegian.
However, SCSU refused to wilt and put together a 10-0 run of its down to hack the margin in half to 48-38 with 8:14 left in the game. The Bulldogs got as close as eight points at 50-42, but the Panthers were able to extend the advantage back to 19 points at 61-42 following a bucket from Ahelegbe.
UNI will play host to Southern Illinois-Edwardsville on Sunday at 1 p.m. as a part if the iBN Las Vegas Classic. UNI will then travel to Las Vegas, Nev., to take on Indiana on Dec. 22 and either New Mexico or Colorado on Dec. 23.
NOTES: Jake Koch set a career high with four blocks in the game ... Austin Pehl tied a career high with five points ... UNI shot 54.3 percent from the field ... UNI has shot better than 50 percent in back-to-back games for the first time since last season when UNI shot 53.1 percent against Iowa (Dec. 8, 2009) and 52.7 percent against Siena (Dec. 12, 2009).
