Lohaus Leads Panthers to MVC Championship Game

Saturday, March 9

St. Louis, Missouri

5 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

9-916-17; MVC

No. 2 Drake University

12-624-9; MVC

UNI

Drake

Lohaus Leads Panthers to MVC Championship Game

3/9/2019 8:24:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

ST. LOUIS, Missouri – Senior Wyatt Lohaus finished with 27 points and scored the game-winner against Drake to advance the Panthers into the MVC Championship game.

The Panthers and Bulldogs tipped off in the 5 p.m. in the Enterprise Center for the second semifinal game of the day.

The Panthers and Bulldogs traded leads four times in the first half but it was the Bulldogs that took a three-point lead into the break. The Panthers shot 40.7 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes of play and knocked down four three-pointers.

AJ Green led the Panthers with eight points and three assists in the first half while senior Wyatt Lohaus ended with six points, going 3-7 from the field in the half.

The in-state rivalry heated up in the second half. The Bulldogs held the lead for the first 11 minutes of the half before the Panthers were able to get back on top. The leads would change again headed into the final minute of play.

Drake's Tremell Murphy tied the game at 58 with 8 seconds remaining but fifth-year senior Wyatt Lohaus wasn't finished, driving the length of the floor Lohaus hit the bank shot to put the Panthers ahead 60-58 with 2.1 seconds on the clock. The Bulldogs had time for one final shot at the horn but missed.

Lohaus led the Panthers with a career-high 27 points performance, going 12-21 from the field. Lohaus's twelve field goals are also a career high. Lohaus's 27 points is the 3^rd most for a Panther in an MVC tournament game, trailing only Cam Johnson (31) and Randy Blocker (30).

Junior Trae Berhow finished with 12 points and led the Panthers with six rebounds. AJ Green finished the night with eight points and dished out a team-high four assists. Spencer Haldeman added five points on the night, recorded four assists and led the Panthers with two steals.

UP NEXT

The Panthers, 16-17, will take on the 19-14 Braves of Bradley in the championship game on Sunday, March 10 at 1 p.m. The Panthers were 1-1 against the Braves in conference play, winning on the road on Jan 2 and dropping a game in the McLeod Center on Feb 6. Sunday's championship game will be coach Jacobson's fifth as the Panthers head coach. Jacobson is a perfect 4-0 in MVC Championship games with victories over Illinois State (2009), Wichita State (2010), Illinois State (2015), and Evansville (2016). The MVC Championship game can be viewed on CBS Sports with Kevin Harlan, Dan Bonner, and Melanie Collins on the call.