Panther men's basketball battles Valparaiso in Hope Always Game

UNI men's basketball vs. Valparaiso

7 p.m. CT | Jan. 25, 2023
Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center (6,650)
ESPN+ (Brad Wells: Play-by-Play / Adam DeJoode: Analyst)
Panther Sports Radio Network (J.W. Cox: Play-by-Play)

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI tips off the second half of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) schedule on Wednesday night as the Panthers host the Valparaiso Beacons in the second meeting of the season.

The Panthers look to sweep the regular season series from the Beacons for the first time since the 2019-20 season and build off a 16-1 all-time record against Valparaiso at home. Wednesday's game will be the men's basketball program's 250th all-time game played inside the McLeod Center.

UNI will also honor Joyce Borglum, the Borglum family and all those impacted by cancer with its annual Hope Always Game. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game.

UNI PANTHERS
In its last meeting against the Beacons on Jan. 4 in Indiana, UNI's Michael Duax played hero with a game-winning put-back layup as time expired to lift the Panthers past Valparaiso, 69-67. Tytan Anderson led UNI with a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double in the win.

The Panthers return to the McLeod Center after a come-from-behind win at UIC on Saturday afternoon, the program's first road win against the Flames since 1989. UNI trailed by as many as 16 points after giving up 13 three-point field goals to UIC, but rallied with a strong second half inside the paint and on defense.

Duax finished the game with a career-high 21 points and 11 rebounds for his third double-double of the season, while Bowen Born notched 18 points with 9 made free throws. Anderson scored 17 points for the Panthers with 8 rebounds, as Landon Wolf scored 7 points. Trey Campbell and James Betz tallied 6 and 5 points respectively, while Cole Henry totaled 4 points and a career-high-tying 6 assists.

Born has averaged 19.5 points per game in league play this season, and ranks third in the MVC in total points scored (375) and second in overall average (18.8 points per game).

Born's 9 highest scoring games of his career have all come this season.

30 points vs. Northern Illinois (Nov. 26)
29 points vs. Evansville (Dec. 3)
27 points vs. Southern Illinois (Jan. 7)
27 points vs. Towson (Dec. 17)
27 points vs. Toledo (Dec. 6)
25 points at Illinois State (Dec. 31)
23 points vs. Missouri State (Dec. 28)
23 points vs. Murray State (Jan. 10)
22 points at Bradley (Nov. 30)

Anderson's 8 double-doubles lead the MVC and rank 18th most in the nation. He also leads the league in rebounds per game (9.4) and defensive rebounds per contest (6.9). Anderson's 187 total rebounds this season are 27th most in the country.
Collectively, the Panthers lead the nation in points per game scored by in-state players, as Iowa-born players have accounted for 68.5 points a game.
UNI has held its opponent to under 80 points in 13 consecutive games, holding an 8-5 record in such contests. The Panthers have won 7 straight games holding the opposition under 70 points.

The Panthers have averaged an MVC-low 14.6 personal fouls per game. As a result, UNI has also averaged 17.8 free throw attempts per game, 4th most in the conference.

Head coach Ben Jacobson is also chasing MVC history with 181 conference only wins, 3rd most in league history. Jacobson is 2 wins shy of passing former Creighton coach Dana Altman for 2nd all-time in MVC history with 182 conference wins.

VALPARAISO BEACONS
The Beacons have gone 3-2 since their last meeting with UNI earlier this month and enter Wednesday's game with a three-game winning streak. Valparaiso dominated Illinois State in its last outing last Saturday in a 71-51 rout in Normal, the Beacons' most lopsided victory since joining the MVC in 2017. Valparaiso is currently riding the MVC's third longest winning streak.

Quinton Green sank a career-high six three-pointers against the Redbirds last weekend, while the Beacons shot 57.4% from the field and held Illinois State to 33.9% shooting. Collectively, Valparaiso shot 56.3% as a team from beyond the arc.
Ben Krikke and Kobe King lead Valparaiso, both averaging just over 17 points per game, both ranking top-five in the conference. Krikke also leads the MVC in field goal percentage (53.2%). Nick Edwards leads the league in total assists (104) and ranks second in assists per game (5.0).

The Beacons have found success in their transition game, scoring 11 points a game in fast break opportunities. Valparaiso also ranks in the middle of the league in overall rebounds per game (33.7).

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