Missouri State Takes MVC Opener Over UNI, 68-64

Wednesday, December 28

Cedar Falls, Iowa

8 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

5-7 (0-1MVC)

Missouri State (Kids Club Day - $5 youths/$10 adults)

10-4 (1-0MVC)

Missouri State

UNI

Missouri State Takes MVC Opener Over UNI, 68-64

12/28/2016 10:46:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

CEDAR FALL, Iowa - The Missouri State University Bears opened Missouri Valley Conference play with a 68-64 win over the University of Northern Iowa Panthers on Wednesday night in the McLeod Center.

The Bears ran out to a 24-point lead at 32-8 with 6:45 left in the first half. UNI cut the lead to two at two times in the final minute of the game, but could not equalize the contest.

Missouri State (10-4 overall, 1-0 MVC) drained nine first-half three-pointers and led 39-22 at the break. UNI shot only 32 percent from the field in the opening half and was 2-of-9 from three-point land.

UNI's Jeremy Morgan keyed the second-half comeback by the Panthers as he scored 19 of his game-high 28 points in the final 20 minutes. Morgan added five rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.

Missouri State had four players reach double-figure scoring in the matchup with Dequon Miller leading the way with 17 points. Ryan Kreklow (13 points), Alize Johnson (12 points) and Jarried Rhodes (11 points) joined Miller in double figures. Johnson posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

UNI will be back in action Sunday at Evansville with a 3 p.m. tip set in the Ford Center. The game will be available on ESPN3.

NOTES: Morgan has scored 999 career points and needs one more point to become the 41st Panther to reach the 1,000-point mark ... UNI head coach Ben Jacobson was assessed his ninth career technical foul in the contest ... UNI is 4-5 in games in which Jacobson has received a technical foul ... it is the first time this season that UNI shot better than 40 percent and lost ... UNI is 5-1 in games in which its shoots 40 percent or better ... UNI has made at least one three-pointer in 543 straight games ... Morgan has made at least one 3-pointer in 18 consecutive games ... Missouri State improved to 3-8 all-time in the McLeod Center and the win snapped a five-game losing streak in the arena for the Bears and head coach Paul Lusk.