University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
20-12,14-6MVC
Valparaiso
15-18,6-14MVC
Arch Madness comeback falls short for Panthers, 64-63
3/8/2025 12:10:00 AM | Men's Basketball
UNI roars back from 19-point deficit, but comes up short against Valparaiso in MVC Tournament.
ST. LOUIS --- The UNI men's basketball team stormed back down as many as 19 points on Friday night but could not finish off a hot shooting Valparaiso Beacons squad in the quarterfinal round of Arch Madness in a one-point loss, 64-63.
Northern Iowa, which clawed back with a 20-0 scoring run in the second period, held the Beacons under 35% after they posted an impressive three-point shooting performance in the final 20 minutes. After a fierce back-and-forth in the final minutes, the Panthers would have the opportunity to win the game on their final possession but could not score in the final seconds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UNI opened Friday's quarterfinal matchup with a strong defensive effort in the first five minutes, holding the Beacons without a basket in its first eight possessions of the game and for 11 of their first 13 trips down the floor. While the Panthers were able to control the paint, outscoring Valparaiso 20-8 inside, the Beacons soon flipped the switch and dominated the remainder of the first half with ten made three pointers on 15 attempts, with MVC Player of the Year All Wright going five-for-five from beyond the arc for 20 points. Tytan Anderson paced Northern Iowa inside with 11 points and Trey Campbell adding eight points, with UNI shooting 52% from the field to head into the locker room trailing 45-32.
Max Weisbrod would give the Panthers a spark with a three-point basket just over three minutes into the second half, sparking a furious UNI rally where it scored 20 consecutive points, with two flagrant one fouls being assessed against the Beacons. Northern Iowa's defensive intensity forced 11 missed shots by Valparaiso in a row with Anderson tallying 11 points in the second half and Cael Schmitt eight points to help take a 57-56 lead. The Beacons would find some late momentum to force the game back-and-forth in the final minutes with Valparaiso taking a two-point lead with 48 seconds to play. After Anderson made one-of-two free throws, the Panthers would have a chance to win the game on their final possession, but could not find the bottom of the net.
Anderson finished the night with a team-high 22 points with five rebounds, while Campbell totaled 11 points and seven boards. Weisbrod posted an eight-point performance with four assists and three rebounds, as Schmitt tallied eight points. Will Hornseth finished with six points and three boards, while Ben Schwieger led UNI with eight rebounds.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- UNI falls to 33-7 all-time against Valparaiso with Friday's loss. The game was also the first time the two programs faced off against one another at Arch Madness.
- The Panthers are now 12-13 all-time in quarterfinal round games at the MVC Tournament, and 9-9 under head coach Ben Jacobson.
- Tytan Anderson finishes his career 12th on UNI's all-time scoring list with 1,369 points, while Jacob Hutson finishes his Panther career with 667 points, tied with Ali Farokmaneh (2008-10) for 90th on the program's all-time list.
- Anderson also finishes his career with 138 games played for Northern Iowa, tied for third-most in team history with Jake Koch (2008-13) and Matt Bohannon (2012-16). He also finishes seventh in Panther history in steals (148) and rebounds (795).
- Will Hornseth finishes his first collegiate season 70-for-101 from the field and 69.3% shooting clip, the best single season mark in program history with at least 50 made shots, previously held by Austin Phyfe (2019-20).
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.
