University of Northern Iowa
9-7,3-2MVC
Murray State
9-7,3-2MVC
UNI men’s basketball: Late game comeback against Racers comes up short
1/8/2025 9:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Panthers rally from 11-point deficit in second half but fall to Murray State by three points. UNI visits Illinois State on Saturday.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- Four starters tallied double-digit scoring figures for the UNI men's basketball team, but a late game rally would come up just short as the Panthers fells to the Murray State Racers on Wednesday night by a score of 71-68 in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play.
Despite a tough night at the three-point arc against the league's top three-point shooting defense, Northern Iowa controlled the game in the paint and briefly took the lead in the final minute of play before the Racers re-captured the lead and stopped UNI's attempt at a go-ahead layup in the final seconds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UNI grabbed an early lead on the Racers with a strong inside game and an 8-3 scoring run before the Murray State defense locked down the Panthers and took control. The Racers shot 46% from three-point range with six made baskets from beyond the arc, holding Northern Iowa scoreless for a five and a half minute stretch. Leon Bond III would find his rhythm in the final minutes of the half along with Ben Schwieger and Tytan Anderson to cut the Racer lead to three points before Murray State stretched the lead back to six points at the break. Bond led UNI with nine first half points with eight from Schwieger, as well as six points and four rebounds by Anderson.
The Panthers would cut the Racers' lead to one point at 38-37 with a strong start to the second half but continued to struggle in defense of the three-point line. Trey Campbell took over the UNI offense with 17 second half points on seven-of-13 shooting as Northern Iowa kept pace with the Racers with Anderson continuing to test the MSU defense inside the paint. In a game where the Panthers forced four shot clock violations, UNI stormed back from an 11-point deficit with seven and a half minutes to play, cutting the Racer lead to 67-65 before Campbell gave the Panthers a one-point advantage on a steal, layup and an-and-one free throw. Terrance Harcum, who led Murray State with 14 points, put the Racers back ahead by one before the Racer defense forced a jump ball, sealing the three-point victory for MSU.
Campbell finished the night with a game-high 17 points and matched his season-high with three steals, while Anderson tallied 15 points and four rebounds. Bond posted a 13-point, three rebound performance as Schwieger notched 12 points and three rebounds. Will Hornseth led UNI on the boards with a game-high six rebounds along with four points in his first collegiate start.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Murray State ties the all-time series up at two wins a piece. The Racers have now won the last two matchups, both in Cedar Falls.
- Guard Trey Campbell recorded the 700th point of his college career on Wednesday, becoming the 87th player in team history to do so.
- Forward Tytan Anderson surpassed 1,100 career points in Wednesday's loss, passing Norm Jesperson (1946-49) for 32nd on the program's all-time scoring list.
- Anderson is also just three steals shy of tying Brian Carpenter (1992-96) for ninth on UNI's all-time steals list (135).
- Anderson sits 14 rebounds and 26 assists shy of becoming the fourth player in team history to record 1,000 points, 700 rebounds and 200 assists in his career. Previous Panthers to reach this milestone include Seth Tuttle (2011-15), Eric Coleman (2004-08) and Ron Lemons (1975-79).
UP NEXT
Northern Iowa returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 11 as it visits Normal to take on the Illinois State Redbirds. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT at CEFCU Arena, with live coverage available on the ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network.
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.
