Panthers Host Aces in Wednesday MVC Showdown

WEDNESDAY'S ACTION:

UNI vs Evansville | Wednesday, February 26 | 7 PM | McLeod Center | Cedar Falls, Iowa

THE SERIES
Panthers and Purple Aces meet up for the 60th time in program history, the Panthers lead the all-time series 32-27. Head Coach Ben Jacobson is 20-9 against Evansville, holding an 11-2 record in the McLeod Center and a 7-7 record on the road. Coach Jacobson is 2-0 against the Purple Aces in Arch Madness.

THE PANTHERS
•If the Panthers defeat Evansville the Panthers will secure a share of the regular-season title, the third regular-season title under Jacobson. The Panthers won the regular season in 2009-10 and shared the title in 2008-09.

The Panthers are receiving votes on this week's AP poll, the team has received votes for the last 9 weeks, 11 total weeks.

•The panthers are receiving votes in this week's USA Today poll, receiving votes the last 7 weeks, 10 total weeks.

• The Panthers' last AP ranking was on March 16, 2015, when they were No. 11 in the poll. UNI was ranked No. 14 in the final ESPN/USA Today coaches poll that year.

•Ben Jacobson has been named to the 2020 Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year Watch List.

•The Panthers are a perfect 15-0 inside the McLeod Center this season. The Panthers have finished undefeated in the McLeod Center twice, the 2009-10 and the 2014-15 seasons.

• The Panthers are now 60-6 when scoring 80+ points under Ben Jacobson, and are 11-0 in contest scoring over 80 points this season.

•Austin Phyfe finished with 17 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks in a win over Southern Illinois (2/23/20).

• Through 28 games, AJ Green has recorded 87 made three-pointers, ranking 3rd in a single season at UNI.

• UNI has made at least one 3-Pointer in 655 straight games – the longest active streak in the Missouri Valley Conference.

• AJ Green made 44 consecutive free throws (Dec 22-Jan 22), breaking the UNI record of 32 straight set by Bill McCoy. Green's 44 consecutive made free throws is tied 6th best in MVC history.

• The Panthers have made 47.7% from the field this season, a mark that ranks 2nd in the MVC and 17th in the NCAA.

• Making 76.6% at the free-throw line the Panthers lead the MVC.

•UNI makes 39.5% of their 3PT-FG attempts, ranking 4th best in the NCAA.

• The Panthers have made 39.5% (267-676) of their three-point attempts this season, leading the Valley and ranking 4th in the NCAA.

•UNI has outrebounded its opponents 1052-851, holding the highest rebounding margin in the MVC at 7.2.

• AJ Greens 92.0 FT % leads the MVC and ranks 4rd in the NCAA.

• UNI is averaging 74.2 PPG in Valley play, leading the league in scoring through 16 games.

• AJ Green has averaged 22.3 PPG against Valley opponents, leading the league.

• Austin Phyfe has hauled in 9.3 RPG in league play, leading the league.

• Phyfe has now recorded 8 double-doubles, second-most in the MVC.

•Austin Phyfe leads the MVC in field goal percentage, making 70.6% of his field-goal attempts.

THE PURPLE ACES
•On January 21, it was announced that Todd Lickliter inked a multi-year deal to become the Aces head coach.

•An assistant with UE last season, Lickliter has been a head coach at Butler, Iowa and Marian and was honored as the 2007 NABC National Coach of the Year at Butler.

•Evansville continues its quest for its first MVC win on Wednesday in Cedar Falls.

•UE has fallen in its last six trips to the McLeod Center since winning back-to-back games in 2012 and 2013.

•With 140 free throw makes and 173 attempts, Riley continues to rank near the top of the NCAA, he is 13th in the country in free throws made and 27th in tries.

•UE has excelled over the last seven games in limiting assists and forcing turnovers - the opposition has 56 assists against 81 turnovers over that stretch.

•In the first half of Thursday's game at SIU, senior K.J. Riley reached the 1,000-point mark for his career and became the 50th player in program history to do so.

•In his biggest performance of the season, Sam Cunliffe scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed six rebounds in the contest at Drake, Cunliffe passed both his UE scoring mark (21 pts) and career-high (23) with the effort, he converted nine field goals, also a high.

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AJ Green

Austin Phyfe

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