UNI Wins Third Straight With 64-60 Victory Over Rice

Friday, November 25

South Padre Island, Texas

5:00 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

Rice

UNI Wins Third Straight With 64-60 Victory Over Rice

11/25/2011 1:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

By: UNI Athletics Communications

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas - The University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team improved to 4-1 on the season with a 64-60 victory over the Rice University Owls in the South Padre Island Invitational.

The Panthers used a career-high 16 points from freshman Deon Mitchell, a Texas native. Mitchell made 6-of-9 shots from the field, including a pair of three-pointers. Junior guard Anthony James tallied 14 points for the Panthers. Junior Jake Koch was the third Panther to reach double-figure scoring wtih 10 points.

UNI trailed 13-9 six minutes into the game. However, the Panthers went on a 16-5 run to take a 25-18 lead with 4:27 left in the first half. UNI extended the lead to 12 before settling for a 10-point lead at the half, 34-24.

The Panthers opened up a 14-point advantage at 46-32 with 13:09 remaining to take their biggest lead of the game. The Panthers led by 10 at 55-45 with 4:16 left before Rice made a final charge. The Owls cut the lead to three at 55-52 on a dunk by Arsalan Kazemi. But Marc Sonnen drilled a 3-pointer to up the lead back to six on the ensuing possession. Rice would trim the lead to two with :02 left in the game, but James drained a pair of free throws to give UNI the final four point margin at 64-60.

UNI will take on Providence College Friars on Friday at 9 p.m. in the final game of the 2011 South Padre Island Invitational. The game will be broadcast live on CBS College Sports.

NOTES: UNI outrebounded Rice, 35-31 ... UNI drained 7 three-pointers and limited the Owls to only 3 made triples in the game ... Marvin Singleton led the Panthers with six rebounds ... Rice's Arsalan Kazemi tallied game highs with 18 points and 12 rebounds.