Men's Basketball Takes on Loyola in Midweek Matchup

This Week's Action:

Wednesday, Jan. 30 – Chicago, Illinois (Gentile Arena)
UNI vs Loyola 6 p.m. | ESPN+ | Audio | Stats |

Full Game Notes

THE PANTHERS

• The Panthers move to 9-12 on the season at 4-4 in the MVC after defeating the Purple Aces of Evansville in the McLeod Center on Saturday.

• The Panthers take on the Ramblers (13-8, 6-2 MVC) of Loyola on Wednesday.

• Head Coach Ben Jacobson is 259-162 all-time, 6-7 against the Ramblers and 1-5 on the road against Loyola.

• Coach Jacobson is currently tied with Gregg Marshall (Wichita State) for 5th all-time with 134 MVC victories. Jacobson (259) is 3 wins away from passing Marshall (161) in career victories as an MVC coach.

• UNI has made at least one 3-pointer in 615 straight games – the longest active streak in the Missouri Valley Conference.

• Spencer Haldeman finished with 24 points and three steals in the Panthers comeback victory over Evansville. Haldeman shot 50 percent from the field and 8-9 from the free throw line to lead the Panthers in scoring. Haldeman added four three-pointers on seven attempts.

• Freshman AJ Green leads all Panthers in scoring, averaging 14.9 points per game. Green's 14.5 PPG in league play rank 9th in the MVC.

• Spencer Haldeman and AJ Green rank in the top 5 in free throw percentage in MVC games. Green is tied for second going 17-20 from the line while Haldeman ranks 4th making 15 of his 18 free throw attempts.

• The Panthers average 8.3 three-pointers per game in MVC play, third-most in the league behind only Evansville and Drake.

• Four Panthers rank in the top 20 in made three-pointers per game in the MVC. Trae Berhow ranks 8th (1.9), Aj Green ranks 9th (1.9), Spencer Haldeman ranks 14th (1.5), and Wyatt Lohaus ranks 19th (1.4).

• The Panthers average only 10.6 turnovers in Valley play, leading the league in fewest turnovers (85).

• Luke McDonnell ranks 2nd in the league with 3.5 offensive rebounds per game in league play while Trae Berhow hauls in 4.5 defensive rebounds per game, ranking him 10th in that category.

THE RAMBLERS
• The Ramblers are currently 13-8 on the season and have compiled a 6-2 MVC mark, topping the conference.

• The Ramblers are coming off the best postseason since the 1963 National championship. The Ramblers finished on a magical run through the NCAA Tournament that ended in the Final Four.

• Loyola has averaged just under 67 points per game in league play and has the league's top defense, surrendering just 61.3 points per game in Valley competition.

• The Ramblers have been efficient in league play, collectively the team has shot .515 from the field and held Valley opponents to a league-low .423 field goal percentage.

• Loyola is led in scoring by two MVC standouts in Marques Townes and Cameron Krutwig. Through eight league games, both Ramblers rank in the top 10 in league scoring.

• Three Ramblers average over 12 points per game this season, Marques Townes (14.1), Cameron Krutwig (13.9), and Clayton Custer (12.5).

• Krutwig has been active on both ends of the floor this season, ranking second in team scoring and has hauled in a team-high 147 rebounds including 32 offensive rebounds.

• The Ramblers are coached by Porter Moser who has changed the program's culture all while also successfully navigating the transition to the Missouri Valley Conference. Loyola's 50 wins over the last two seasons are its most over a two-year stretch since1962-64.

• The 2017-18 season was a historic one for Loyola as Moser piloted the Ramblers to a school-record 32 wins and their first Final Four appearance since winning the NCAA championship in 1963, along with a No. 7 ranking in the final 2017-18 USA Today Coaches Poll.

• Moser was named Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2018 and also was selected as the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 16 Coach of the Year after leading Loyola to the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament championships and a school-record 32 wins.

TURNOVERS
The Panthers average just 10.6 turnovers per game in league play, the fewest in the league.
1. UNI 10.6
2. Missouri State 11.4
3. Loyola 11.4
4. Illinois State 11.6
5. Indiana State 13.1

THE STREAK
UNI has made at least one 3-Pointer in 615 straight games – the longest active streak in the Missouri Valley Conference. The last time UNI failed to make a 3-point basket came Feb. 3, 2000, vs. Southern Illinois in a 72-58 Panther victory in the UNI-Dome. UNI went 0-for-4 from 3-point land vs. the Salukis in that contest.

MVC GAMES THIS WEEK
Tue., Jan. 29
Missouri State vs Valparaiso
Wed., Jan. 30
Bradley vs Evansville
UNI vs Loyola
Illinois State vs Drake
Indiana State vs Southern Illinois

MVC STANDINGS
                               MVC    Overall
School                     W-L        W-L
Loyola 6-2        13-8
Drake                        5-3        16-5
Illinois State 5-3 12-9
Valparaiso 5-3 12-9
Missouri State 4-4        10-11
UNI 4-4 9-12
Indiana State 3-5 11-9
Southern Ill. 3-5 10-11
Evansville 3-5 9-12
Bradley 2-6 10-11

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Men's Basketball Takes on Loyola in Midweek Matchup

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Players Mentioned

Trae Berhow

AJ Green

Spencer Haldeman

Wyatt Lohaus

Luke McDonnell

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