Panthers Trim Sycamores, 65-60

Saturday, February 4

Cedar Falls, Iowa

1 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

11-12, 6-6MVC

Indiana State

8-16, 2-10MVC

Indiana State

UNI

Photo by: Mike Dunlop

Panthers Trim Sycamores, 65-60

2/4/2017 3:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team overcame a nine-point second-half deficit and rallied for a 65-60 win over the Indiana State Sycamores Saturday at the McLeod Center.

Indiana State (8-16 overall, 2-10 MVC) built a 46-37 lead with 9:47 left in the game following a layup from Donovan Franklin. The Panthers cut into the lead quickly on a layup from freshman Juwan McCloud and a three-pointer from redshirt freshman Spencer Haldeman to make it a four-point game with 9:17 remaining.

UNI (11-12 overall, 6-6 MVC) knotted the game at 52-52 following a pair of free throws from McCloud with 3:20 left in the game. McCloud's free throws capped a 15-6 run for the Panthers. Indiana State's Jordan Barnes drilled a triple with 2:50 left to sway the momentum back to the Sycamores, only to have senior Jeremy Morgan answer on the other end with a conventional three-point play to tie it again at 55-55.

UNI senior Jordan Ashton sank a pair from the foul line with 1:52 left to give the Panthers a 57-55 cushion. But a tip in from Indiana State's Emondre Rickman, which capped a perfect day from the field for him as he drained all five shots, tied the contest at 57-57 with 1:26 remaining.

McCloud wasted little time after the tip as he drove to the bucket and scored on a layup with 1:13 left that gave the Panthers the lead for good. Following a missed layup from Indiana State's Brenton Scott, UNI junior Klint Carlson floated a layup in off the glass with 20.8 seconds left to give the Panthers a four-point lead at 61-57. Scott rushed the ball down the floor and buried a three-pointer to cut the lead to 61-60 with 14.5 seconds left. However, Scott fouled out on the ensuing inbounds pass and Morgan sank two free throws to put UNI back up three. Indiana State's Laquarious Paige missed a jumper and Morgan corralled the rebound and sank two more free throws with :01 left to ice the win for the Panthers.

UNI will be back in action Wednesday at home in the McLeod Center against the Southern Illinois Salukis. Tip is set for 7 p.m.

NOTES: UNI had all five starters reach double-figure scoring for the first time this season ... Bennett Koch led the way with 14 points and three blocks ... Morgan, who didn't score in the first half, tallied 12 second half points and grabbed seven rebounds ... UNI made 21-of-28 free throws, while Indiana State made 12-of-15 at the charity stripe ... UNI held Indiana State to 33.9 percent shooting from the field.