University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Montana
UNI men’s hoops to host Montana on Monday
12/15/2024 12:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Panthers close home non-conference schedule against Big Sky preseason favorite. Tickets available for purchase.
UNI men's basketball (6-4 / 1-0 MVC) vs. Montana (7-4 / 0-0 Big Sky)
- 7 p.m. CT | Dec. 16, 2024
- Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center (6,650)
- ESPN+ (Eric Braley: Play-by-Play / Matt Schniederman: 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 will wrap a three-game homestand on Monday night as the Panthers welcome the Montana Grizzlies to the McLeod Center for their final home game of the non-conference schedule.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT with live coverage on ESPN+, as well as the Panther Sports Radio Network with J.W. Cox and Kevin Boyle on the call.
Tickets can be purchased online through the UNI Ticket Office, or by calling 319-273-4849 or by email at tickets@uni.edu. Fans can also receive free admission to the game by bringing a toy to donate at the gate as part of the team's annual Toys For Tots drive.
Matching up for the first time since 2002, the Panthers and Grizzlies are even at two wins a piece in the all-time series, with UNI having won the last two meetings.
UNI looks to continue to build momentum as part of a season-long three-game winning streak that has seen the Panthers take down UIC, Northern Illinois and most recently Omaha this past Friday night. In its 78-58 victory over the Mavericks, Northern Iowa dominated from inside the paint and at the free throw line, making a season-high 28 free throws with a season-low seven turnovers.
Jacob Hutson led UNI with 21 points against Omaha, while Trey Campbell posted a new season-high with 20 points. Tytan Anderson, who surpassed 1,000 career points on Friday, scored 12 points, with 11 points from Leon Bond III, plus ten points and nine rebounds from Ben Schwieger.
Through ten games, the Panthers boast the nation's third-highest field goal shooting percentage at 51.6%, while also ranking seventh in efficient field goal percentage (58.8%) and 13th in three-point shooting (40.3%).
Anderson leads UNI with 13 points and six rebounds per game on 55.7% shooting, while Hutson has notched 12.8 points and 4.1 rebounds a game. Schwieger has posted 10.5 points in his first season as a Panther, with Campbell leading UNI with 32 assists on the season, plus 10.1 points a game.
SCOUTING MONTANA
The Grizzlies visit Cedar Falls after a six-day layoff, coming off an 89-60 win over NAIA Montana Tech. Montana is still in search of its first true road win of the season, sitting at 0-4 entering Monday's night's matchup with the Panthers.
Montana was picked as the preseason favorite by a vote of the league's head coaches to win the Big Sky Conference title with seven out of ten first-place votes. The Grizzlies were picked second behind Montana State in the Big Sky preseason media poll. Graduate guard Brandon Whitney earned Preseason All-Big Sky Team honors.
The Grizzlies have been stellar in defending the three-point line this season, holding their opponents to a 28% clip, second-lowest among Big Sky teams. Money Williams has led Montana with 13.9 points a game, while Joe Pridgen has averaged 13.4 points per game with 8.3 rebounds while shooting 66.3% from the field, the best mark in the Big Sky.
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.
