Panthers Deal Purple Aces a 57-54 Defeat

Wednesday, February 3

Cedar Falls, Iowa

6 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

13-11, 5-6MVC

Evansville

18-6, 7-4MVC

Evansville

UNI

Panthers Deal Purple Aces a 57-54 Defeat

2/3/2016 8:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa men's basketball squad recorded its third consecutive victory with a 57-54 triumph over the University of Evansville Purple Aces on Wednesday in the McLeod Center.

UNI (13-11 overall, 5-6 MVC) led for nearly 30 minutes in the game but had to rally in the final minute to secure the win. Evansville (18-6 overall, 7-4 MVC) overcame an eight-point halftime deficit and led by one with under a minute to play.

UNI senior Wes Washpun scored the go-ahead bucket with :27 left on a left-handed layup. UNI junior Jeremy Morgan blocked Jaylon Brown's jumper in the lane with :03 left and then drained a pair of free throws with :01.7 left to give UNI a three-point cushion. Evansville's D.J. Balentine missed a half-court shot at the buzzer that would have tied the game.

Balentine was held to a season-low nine points having come into the contest averaging a league-best 21.2 points per game. Balentine was limited to 4-of-15 shooting from the floor and did not have a free throw attempt. It marked the first time this season that Balentine did not attempt a free throw in a game.

Washpun led the Panthers with 14 points, which included 6-of-7 at the free throw line. Washpun added a team-best four assists, four rebounds, two blocks and two assists. Matt Bohannon added 13 points, including 3-of-5 from three-point land. Morgan tossed in 12 points with four rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

Evansville was led by Egidijus Mockevisius, who tallied 14 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks and two steals.

UNI will travel to Drake on Saturday. Tip is set for 1 p.m. in the Knapp Center. It will be broadcast live on the CBS Sports Network.

NOTES: UNI is giving up 58.8 points per game in its 13 wins this season ... Wes Washpun's four assists move him into a tie for No. 8 on UNI's all-time assists list with Kwadzo Ahelegbe (2006-2011) with 342 career assists ... Matt Bohannon moved into a tie for No. 16 on the MVC's all-time three-point chart with Creighton's Ryan Sears with 245 career three-pointers ... UNI has made at least one three-pointer in 519 straight games.