University of Northern Iowa
9-8,3-3MVC
Murray State
7-10,4-2MVC
Defense and second half run lead UNI men’s basketball to win at Murray State
1/14/2024 5:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Heise posts double-double performance as Panthers win in first trip to Murray State. UNI visits Belmont on Wednesday in Nashville.
MURRAY, Ky. --- A commanding 14-0 run on the back half of the second period and a lights out performance by Nate Heise propelled UNI men's basketball to a 70-60 victory over the Murray State Racers on Sunday afternoon, pushing the Panthers above the .500 mark for the first time this season.
Northern Iowa would overcome a slow start offensive, but buckled down defensively to rally back from as large as a nine-point deficit for its third Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) win of the year. The Panthers have now won seven of their last nine games dating back to early December.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Murray State would jump out to a quick 11-2 lead as the Panther offense struggled to find the bottom of the net in the first half. After a cold stretch in the first in the first eight minutes of play, the Panthers began to gradually chip away at the Racers' lead, with Trey Campbell and Kyle Pock both knocking down key three-point shots from the wing and the top of the key. UNI's defense overcame a slow start by holding MSU scoreless for just over four minutes, allowing the Panthers to pull back within one possession on multiple trips down the floor. With the Racers struggling at the free throw line and Nate Heise dominating early from mid-range and off the glass, the Panthers went into the locker room trailing by only two points, 27-25.
After Born knocked down a triple on UNI's first possession of the half, UNI and Murray State battled back-and-forth in a competitive stanza, continuing to draw contact for trips to the free throw line. Trailing by four points with seven and a half minutes to play, the Panthers rattled off 14 straight points from Cole Henry, Born, Campbell and Heise to shift momentum in favor of the purple and gold. Dishing out 13 assists thanks to excellent passes around the arc and into the paint, UNI shot 46.3% from the field and held the Racers under 40% as the Panthers took the lead back for good with just under five minutes to play, holding on to the final horn for the ten-point win.
Heise finished the afternoon with a game-high 24 points and ten rebounds for his second double-double of the season, while also tying a season-best with five assists. Pock scored 12 points on three-of-seven shooting, as Born tallied nine points. Campbell posted seven points with a new season-high with four assists, and a season-best tying three steals, with Henry posting a season-high seven points and Michael Duax finishing with six points.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- UNI improves to 2-0 all-time against the Racers. Sunday's game was the first time the Panthers have played Murray State on the road.
- Head coach Ben Jacobson recorded his 186th win in MVC play, pulling within one victory of tying Henry P. Iba's league record of 187 conference wins.
- Northern Iowa continues its march towards 1,400 all-time wins in school history, recording its 1,395th victory on Sunday.
- Nate Heise's 24-point game tied the second-highest scoring performance of his career, matching his 24-point outing against Alcorn State. The three highest scoring games of Heise's career have all come this season.
- Tytan Anderson has now scored at least one point in 49 consecutive games, the longest streak among active Panthers.
- Bowen Born surpassed 1,300 career points on Sunday, passing Anthony James (2009-13) for 12th on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,306 points.
- Michael Duax recorded his 400th career point on Sunday in Murray. Trey Campbell needs just ten points to join Born, Heise, Anderson and Duax among the active Panthers with at least 400 points scored at UNI.
UP NEXT
UNI returns to the floor on Wednesday, January 17 on the road as the Panthers visit the Belmont Bruins. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT at the Curb Event Center in Nashville with live coverage available on CBS Sports Network and the Panther Sports Radio Network.
