University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
4-0,0-0MVC
Northern Illinois
2-3,0-0MAC
UNI men’s basketball holds off Northern Illinois in second half, 70-57
11/18/2025 10:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Panther defense blocks eight shot attempts for fourth straight win. UNI visits UC Irvine on Saturday night.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- The UNI men's basketball team blocked a season-high eight shot attempts and outscored Northern Illinois by a 21-8 margin in the final eight minutes of action on Tuesday night as the Panthers defeated the Huskies by a score of 70-54 for their fourth straight win.
In a physical test against a scrappy NIU challenger, Northern Iowa shot 54.5% from the field as saw four players score in double figures to improve to 4-0 on the young season. The Panther defense also held its fourth straight opponent under 60 points and forced 15 turnovers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Panthers faced a tough test early from a scrappy Huskies squad that shot four-of-nine from three-point range in the opening half. Despite a tight back-and-forth in the first 20 minutes, UNI's offense shot at a high mark on 50% from the field, while the defense tallied four blocked shots, including two from Tristan Smith. RJ Taylor broke a 29-29 tie on the final possession of the period with a three-pointer from the top of the key to give Northern Iowa a three-point lead at the break, 32-29.
UNI opened the second half with a 9-0 scoring run to build a nine-point lead out of the break but would struggle to maintain its offensive consistency in the following minutes. Northern Illinois used a 10-0 run to pull within one point eight minutes into the half and tied the game at 49-49. The second half would be defined by physicality and 24 combined fouls called on the floor, allowing UNI to maintain a steady lead on 12-of-16 shooting from the free throw line. Shooting 54.5% from the field in the final frame, a 12-point half by Trey Campbell and 11-point period from Smith helped push UNI over the finish line for the 13-point victory.
Smith led the night with a game-high 18 points, plus five rebounds and three blocks, while Campbell tallied 15 points and a career-high six steals. Leon Bond III tied a career-high with nine rebounds plus 12 points, as Will Hornseth tied his career-highs for points (12) and assists (3). Off the bench, Taylor scored seven points.
"It was a grind," said UNI head coach Ben Jacobson. "Their perimeter players didn't do as much switching as we thought they would in the first half, so we made an adjustment with some of our screening. I thought Northern Illinois played a great game, and I give our guys a lot of credit for staying with it defensively and rebounding."
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- UNI improves to 18-8 all-time against Northern Illinois with its seventh consecutive win over the Huskies dating back to the 2007-08 season.
- The Panthers improve to 4-0 for the first time since winning the first five games of the 2019-20 season. It is also the fourth 4-0 start in the Jacobson era (2007-08, 2014-15, 2019-20, 2025-26)
- Northern Iowa has forced 65 turnovers on defense through the first four games of the season, averaging 16.2 takeaways per game. The Panther defense has also held opponents to just 56.5 points per game this season.
- UNI's eight blocks on Tuesday night were the most recorded in a game since Feb. 7, 2024 against Missouri State (8).
- Tuesday's win marks the first time Northern Iowa has allowed 60 or fewer points to an opponent in four consecutive games since the start of the 2017-18 season when it allowed 60 points or less in a five game stretch against Alcorn, Wartburg, Chicago State, SMU and North Carolina State.
- Trey Campbell started his 100th career game on Tuesday night and 67th game in a row. He also now sits 39 points shy of joining UNI's 1,000 career point club, tying Randy Beilke (1969-73) for 49th on the program's all-time scoring list.
UP NEXT
The Panthers return to action on Saturday, Nov. 22 for their first road trip of the season at UC Irvine. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. CT in southern California with live coverage available on ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network (93.5 The Mix).
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). Schedule and roster information, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
