University of Northern Iowa
20-10,14-5MVC
UIC
16-13,9-10MVC
Panther men’s basketball rounds out home schedule with rout of Flames
2/26/2025 9:17:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UNI finishes 14-3 inside the McLeod Center this year. Panthers close out regular season on Sunday at Bradley.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- The UNI men's basketball team jumped out to an early 8-0 lead and never looked back on Wednesday night as the Panthers rolled past the UIC Flames for the second time this season in their final home game of the regular season inside the McLeod Center.
Four Panthers finished in double-digit scoring figures with senior Jacob Hutson matching his career-high in his final home game. Northern Iowa also dominated the glass and shot 53% from the field, bouncing back strong after a difficult loss on Sunday to Drake.
UNI's victory also secures the program's 15th season of 20 or more wins, and tenth time under head coach Ben Jacobson (1964, 1990, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2022, 2025).
HOW IT HAPPENED
The UNI offense got out to a blazing start, making its first three shot attempts of the night and scoring the first four baskets of the game on an 8-0 run. A 10-2 run from the Panthers out of the under 12 minute media timeout gave UNI a 13-point lead at 22-9, with seven of their ten points coming from Hutson. The senior center sank eight of his first ten shot attempts of the game, including three baskets from beyond the arc as Tytan Anderson added ten first half points. Northern Iowa's defense forced six UIC turnovers and held the Flames to just 25% shooting from the field in the first 20 minutes of action as the Panthers took a 41-26 lead into halftime.
UIC would cut UNI's lead down to single digits on an 8-2 scoring run to begin the second half and eventually down to as few as seven points with strong three-point shooting from Ahmad Henderson and interior attack. The Panther defense would keep the Flames in check down the stretch, holding UIC under 30% shooting once again for the half while Ben Schwieger led a balanced scoring attack in the final frame with nine second half points, as well as eight points from Trey Campbell. UNI would stretch its lead back to over 20 points and hold the Flames to just four points in the final seven minutes.
Hutson finished his final home game with 26 points to match his career-high and set a new personal-best as a Panther, along with four rebounds and a team-high four assists. Anderson posted 14 points and a team-high eight rebounds in his McLeod Center finale, as Schwieger tallied 12 points with eight boards and Campbell 12 points and seven rebounds. Cael Schmitt added five points in his final home contest, while Max Weisbrod scored three points.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- UNI improves to 15-12 all-time against UIC, including 5-4 under head coach Ben Jacobson.
- The Panthers finish the regular season with a 14-3 home record inside the McLeod Center, the fifth time since the building opened in Nov. 2006 that UNI has won at least 14 games (2010, 2013, 2015, 2020, 2025).
- Northern Iowa's 19 assists on Wednesday night are the most in a game this season against a Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) opponent.
- Tytan Anderson's 14 points against the Flames moved him to 12th on UNI's all-time scoring list, passing Kwadzo Ahelegbe (2006-11). Anderson also tied former Panther and current UNI assistant coach Seth Tuttle (2011-15) for fifth on the program's all-time list for games played (136).
- The Panthers improve to 17-0 this season when leading at halftime, as well as 18-0 when leading an opponent with five minutes remaining in regulation.
- Will Hornseth continues to maintain a single-season shooting percentage of .684 on the season (63-of-92), currently on pace to set a new single-season program record.
UP NEXT
UNI will close out the regular season on Sunday afternoon on the road at Bradley. Tip off is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT with live coverage available on ESPN2 with a simulcast on ESPN+, as well as 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.
