University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Western Illinois
UNI men’s basketball returns home Tuesday to host Leathernecks
11/18/2024 10:51:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Panthers to take on Western Illinois in final game before the Thanksgiving holiday. Tickets available for purchase now.
UNI men's basketball (2-2 / 0-0 MVC) vs. Western Illinois (2-2 / 0-0 OVC)
- 7 p.m. CT | Cedar Falls, Iowa
- McLeod Center (6,650)
- ESPN+ (Eric Braley: Play-by-Play / Kevin Lehman: Analyst)
- Panther Sports Radio Network (J.W. Cox: Play-by-Play / Kevin Boyle: Analyst)
- LIVE STATS
- TICKETS
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- The UNI men's basketball team returns home for its final game prior to the Thanksgiving holiday on Tuesday night as it hosts the Western Illinois Leathernecks in non-conference action.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT at the McLeod Center, with live coverage available on ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network with J.W. Cox and Kevin Boyle on the call.
Tickets for Thursday night's game can be purchased through the UNI Ticket Office either online, or by calling 319-273-4849 or through email at tickets@uni.edu.
Panther fans can also receive free admission to Tuesday's game with a donation of non-perishable food items worth $5 or more at the gate as part of the program's annual food drive.
Northern Iowa squares off with the Leathernecks for the first time since 1991 with the series all even at 29 wins a piece. The Panthers last matched up with Western Illinois 33 years ago when UNI swept its final two regular season meetings against WIU as members of the Mid-Continent Conference
Tuesday's game comes following UNI's 79-73 loss at Wichita State on Thursday in the Panthers' first road game of the season. Trailing by as many as 15 points in the second half, Northern Iowa roared back thanks to 20 second-half points from Jacob Hutson, pulling within four points of the Shockers in a matchup of former Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) rivals.
Hutson finished the night with a game-high 22 points with four rebounds to surpass 600 career points, while Tytan Anderson posted a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double with three blocked shots at WSU. Ben Schwieger also tallied 12 points off the bench, while Leon Bond III and Will Hornseth both scored eight points each, with Bond posted six boards.
Through four games, both Anderson and Hutson lead the Panthers with 13.5 points per game each, with Anderson also leading Northern Iowa in shooting percentage (54.5%) and rebounds per game (6.5). Hutson has notched 5.5 rebounds a game, while RJ Taylor has posted 9.5 points per game. Max Weisbrod has led UNI defensively with a team-high six steals. The Panthers collectively lead the MVC with five blocks per contest.
SCOUTING WESTERN ILLINOIS
Like the Panthers, the Leathernecks have split their first four games of the 2024-25 season, which included a narrow two-point home win over Central Arkansas on Saturday afternoon.
Western Illinois posted a 21-12 record last season and placed fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) with a 13-5 league record last season. The Leathernecks fell to top-seeded Little Rock in the semifinal round of the OVC Tournament, 82-57. This year's Leatherneck team was picked to finish second in the league, guards Ryan Miller and Sean Smith both listed as OVC Players To Watch.
Through four games, Western Illinois has committed an OVC-low 10.3 turnovers per game, but is also the most penalized team in the OVC with 13.8 fouls per game. Both Miller and Smith lead the Leathernecks with 16.8 points per game, while Tay Knox anchors WIU with a team-high seven rebounds a game. Smith also leads the Leathernecks with four assists and 2.2 steals per game.
UNI men's basketball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Men's Basketball), X (@UNImbb) and on Instagram (@uni_basketball). The full 2024 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
