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University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Cornell (IA)
11/1/2026 9:08:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Panthers tip off new season on Tuesday night inside the McLeod Center. Tickets now available for purchase.
UNI men's basketball (0-0 / 0-0 MVC) vs. Cornell [IA] (0-0 / 0-0 MWC)
- 7 p.m. CT | Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026
- Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center (6,650)
- WATCH (ESPN+) [Brad Wells: Play-by-Play / Kevin Lehman: Analyst)
- LISTEN (Panther Sports Radio Network / 93.5 The Mix) [J.W. Cox: Play-by-Play / Kevin Boyle: Analyst)
- LIVE RESULTS
- TICKETS
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- The Kyle Green era of UNI men's basketball officially tips off on Tuesday night as the Panthers open the 2026-27 regular season hosting the Division III Cornell College Rams inside the McLeod Center.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT with live coverage available on ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network (93.5 The Mix / Varsity Network app).
Single-game and season tickets for the 2026-27 men's basketball regular season can be purchased online through the UNI Ticket Office, by calling 319-273-4849 or through email at tickets@uni.edu.
Fans are encouraged to review UNI's gameday policies for men's basketball home games prior to heading to the McLeod Center, including its clear bag and cashless policies.
Cornell leads the all-time series by a 22-14 margin, with UNI having won the last three regular season matchups, including an 88-66 Panther victory early in the 2019-20 campaign.
Northern Iowa will formally tip off its 126th season of play following an 85-78 exhibition win over Upper Iowa last Thursday night at home, rallying from a six-point halftime deficit. Newcomer Carson Vis led the night with 20 points as well as three assists, as Greyson Uelmen scored 19 points going a perfect 14-for-14 at the free throw line along with three assists and a pair of steals. Isaiah Johnson-Arigu posted 17 points and a team-high five rebounds while also posting two blocks on defense, while Kyle Pock scored nine points with five boards, Tate McCubbin with nine points and four rebounds, and Geon Hutchins six points.
The Panthers, after capturing their sixth Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Tournament title and reaching the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in its Division I history a year ago, begin a new chapter under first year head coach Kyle Green, who kicks off his fourth stint with UNI after previously serving 16 seasons as an assistant coach under Greg McDermott and Ben Jacobson. Green most recently spent five years at Iowa State on the staff of T.J. Otzelberger.
The Panthers return six players from their Arch Madness championship team a year ago, led by Pock and Pock. Pock, a senior forward, appeared in 34 games and averaged 3.7 points in 12.5 minutes off the bench last season, while Hutchins appeared in all 35 games as a true freshman. Redek Born, who redshirted the 2025-26 campaign, will look to return to the floor after posting 1.3 points a game in 2024-25, while Levi Valdo, Cade Courbat and Jalen Wilson seek to break onto the court for the first time in their careers.
UNI welcomed six transfers, two freshmen and one international signee to the roster in the offseason, led by North Dakota transfer guard Uelmen, who averaged 16.8 points per game and earned Second Team All-Summit League honors in his first season on the floor. McCubbin, the 2025 Atlantic Sun Conference Freshman of the Year also joins the Panthers after notching 10.1 points a game at Austin Peay in two seasons.
The Panthers added size through the transfer portal with the addition of Ian Smikle and Johnson-Arigu. Smikle, a transfer from Tulsa, pulled down 4.5 rebounds per game in his Golden Hurricane career that included a run to the 2026 NIT semifinals, while Johnson-Arigu posted 10.5 points and four rebounds per game in his lone season last year at St. Thomas. UNI also welcomes Western Michigan guard Vis as he looks to expand his role.
Out of high school, Northern Iowa welcomed a pair of Cedar Falls natives in former Iowa high school state champions Will Gerdes and Jaydon Kimbrough. UNI also dipped into the international signing pool by bringing in Jules Isebaert from Belgium, who played three seasons in the BNXT League with 3.1 points and 1.7 rebounds per game.
Uelmen, McCubbin, Johnson-Arigu and Smikle were all named to the MVC's Preseason Watchlist last week among 33 players from around the league.
SCOUTING CORNELL (IA)
The Rams head to Cedar Falls for an exhibition contest to begin year ten under the leadership of head coach Dave Schlabaugh. Cornell finished the 2025-26 season with a 6-19 record and tied for seventh in the Midwest Conference with a 5-11 mark.
Sophomore guard Kylen Bonner returns for the Rams after leading the team in scoring with 10.9 points per game on 50% shooting from the field, as well as team-high marks for rebounds (4.1), assists (2.2) and steals (2.1). Cornell also returns its leading blocker in forward Christian Acevedo, who blocked 13 shot attempts last year.
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.
