University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Valparaiso
UNI men’s basketball drops road test at Valparaiso
1/4/2025 5:45:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Panthers fall to 3-1 in MVC play. UNI hosts Murray State next Wednesday night.
VALPARAISO, Ind. --- The UNI men's basketball team struggled from three-point range and could not find its rhythm offensively as the Panthers fell to the Valparaiso Beacons on Saturday in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play, 80-73 inside the Athletics-Recreation Center.
Northern Iowa won the rebounding battle against the Beacons, but were plagued by 14 turnovers, which led to 16 Valparaiso points. Despite a career day from senior forward Tytan Anderson, UNI was unable to close a lead which the Beacons held for the majority of the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beacons bolted out of the gate offensively with six made three-point baskets in the opening half with the Panthers playing from behind for much of the first period. Battling intense speed and defense from Valparaiso, UNI would cut the Beacon lead to a single possession on multiple trips down the floor, but itself in a physical rebounding battle throughout. Shooting a healthy 50% from the field as a team, Anderson led Northern Iowa with ten first half points and four rebounds, with Max Weisbrod and Trey Campbell each adding five points as the Panthers went into the halftime break trailing 43-36.
UNI would continue to struggle in slowing the Beacon offense with Valparaiso continuing to hit shots from all angles on the floor. The Panthers would cut Valparaiso's lead down to five points with a 7-0 scoring run, but UNI's lack of a three-point shooting attack and turnovers would play a part in preventing the Panthers from storming back. Anderson notched 17 points in the final 20 minutes of play, including nine made free throws with five rebounds as UNI came up short in a late comeback by seven points.
Anderson finished the afternoon setting new career-highs in points scored (27) and made free throws (9), while also pulling down nine rebounds. Weisbrod tallied ten points on four-of-seven shooting as Leon Bond III posted nine points, four rebounds and notched his third multi-block game of the season. Will Hornseth finished with seven points as Redek Born and Campbell each scored five points.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- UNI falls to 33-6 all-time against Valparaiso with Saturday's loss, snapping a four-game winning streak against the Beacons. The loss also drops the Panthers to 14-5 all-time on the road against Valparaiso.
- Northern Iowa outscored Valparaiso 34-22 inside the paint, but was outscored 16-9 on turnovers.
- Tytan Anderson's 27-point performance on Saturday was his sixth career game with 20+ points and first this season.
- Anderson jumped to 33rd on UNI's all-time scoring list with his 1,093rd career point, passing both Darian DeVries (1994-98) and Matt Bohannon (2012-16).
UP NEXT
Northern Iowa returns home on Wednesday, Jan. 8 as it hosts the Murray State Racers. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT at the McLeod Center, with live coverage available on the MVC TV Network and the Panther Sports Radio Network.
Tickets can be purchased online through the UNI Ticket Office, by calling 319-273-4849 or by email at tickets@uni.edu.
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 2024-25 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
