Big Four Classic thread: UNI upsets No. 2 Iowa State

A live ticker of updates from the Big Four Classic at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

Postgame Reading

Hlas: It's a Panther state, again

Davis: UNI rises to the occasion against ISU

Montz: Iowa State struggles from 3-point line on both ends

Dochterman: Iowa stops Drake, breaks school record for blocks

Final - Northern Iowa 81, Iowa State 79

Paul Jesperson made seven of Northern Iowa's 13 3-pointers Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena and the Panthers beat a top-two team in the country for the second time this season, knocking off No. 2 Iowa State 81-79.

UNI (7-3) beat then-No. 1 North Carolina 71-67 on Nov. 21, but nearly gave this one away.

After two Georges Niang free throws cut the lead to one, UNI turned it over with 15 seconds remaining, but Niang returned the favor with 6.4 seconds to go.

Wes Washpun hit 1-of-2 free throws and Monte Morris missed a floater as time expired.

Jesperson was 7-of-9 from beyond the arc for 21 points before fouling out, while Washpun scored a team-high 28 on 9-of-13 shooting with 11 assists and seven boards.

The Cyclones (9-1) trailed UNI by nine at halftime and came back for the second in-state game in a row, tying the score at 66 on Jameel McKay's dunk with 7:20 to go. ISU beat Iowa 83-82 after falling behind by 20 last Thursday, but couldn't complete the comeback Saturday.

Niang tallied a game-high 30 for ISU, which was a dismal 3-of-17 from the 3-point line.

UNI December 20, 2015

UNI #Panthers defeated No. 2 Iowa State #Cyclones 81-79. @jeremiahdavis10 @Hlas @CRGazetteSports @gazettedotcom pic.twitter.com/0vyYxHHP6Z

— Stephen Mally (@stephenmally)

Half - Northern Iowa 46, Iowa State 37

Northern Iowa drained 8-of-13 3-point attempts and leads No. 2 Iowa State by nine at halftime of the Big Four Classic nightcap at Wells Fargo Arena.

UNI point guard Wes Washpun was unstoppable, making all six of his shots -- including two threes, plus three free throws -- for 17 points and adding six assists.

UNI vs. ISU - ESPN Video

Paul Jesperson made all four of his 3-point attempts for 12 points.

Jeremy Morgan had just two points, but they came on this monster transition slam.

UNI vs. ISU - ESPN Video

Georges Niang led Iowa State with 13 points. Deonte Burton, a Marquette transfer, made his ISU debut and was 3-for-5 for seven points and three rebounds.

The Cyclones shot 53.3 percent but were just 2-of-9 from beyond the arc.

ISU looks for another second-half comeback against an in-state team after trailing Iowa by 15 at the break last week before winning 83-82.

UNI has a chance to make national noise again this season after knocking off then-No. 1 North Carolina in Cedar Falls Nov. 21.

Final - Iowa 70, Drake 64

Iowa blocked a school-record 14 shots and overcame a sluggish first half to beat Drake 70-64 in the first game of the Big Four Classic at Wells Fargo Arena Saturday afternoon.

The game was tied at 30 at halftime and the Bulldogs led 42-38 with 15:58 to go before a 13-2 run put the Hawkeyes (8-3) up 58-47 with 8:51 left.

An Ore Arogundade three got Drake (4-7) within 66-64 with 1:37 remaining. Jarrod Uthoff answered with a layup and Gesell followed with a game-sealing dunk after Reed Timmer couldn't bring it back to a one-possession game.

With leading scorer Uthoff sidelined most of the day with foul trouble, walk-on Nicholas Baer made his mark. The Bettendorf product scored 13 points and added seven rebounds and six blocks.

Baer hit three second-half 3-pointers, his first breaking the last tie of the game (45-45).

Mike Gesell led Iowa with 17 points while Timmer kept Drake close with 25 points on 11-of-21 shooting, six rebounds and five assists.

Uthoff, who played only four minutes in the first half, and Anthony Clemmons also scored in double figures for the Hawkeyes with 10 points apiece.

Iowa shot 46.7 percent for the game, including 8-for-21 from 3-point range. Drake was 11-of-26 from deep and shot 40 percent overall.

The Hawkeyes out-scored Drake 18-0 in points off turnovers, committing just three turnovers to the Bulldogs' 11.

Final: Iowa blocks school-record 14 shots, beats Drake 70-64 in December 19, 2015

Final: Iowa blocks school-record 14 shots, beats Drake 70-64 in #BigFourClassic https://t.co/7OiWBllD1c pic.twitter.com/sPo9o4rPjc

— CR Gazette Sports (@CRGazetteSports)

Half - Iowa 30, Drake 30

The Bulldogs came out of the gates hot, hitting two threes for a quick 6-0 lead.

Iowa woke up with a 14-0 run to take a 22-14 lead with 7:24 left in the half.

But seemingly as the Hawkeyes were pulling away, the Bulldogs answered, battling back to go up 28-26. Iowa scored four straight before Drake tied it.

Jarrod Uthoff, Iowa's leading scorer, picked up two fouls and played only five minutes, scoring four points.

Mike Gesell leads the Hawkeyes with seven points on 3-of-4 shooting. Drake's Reed Timmer has a game-high 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting, including two threes.

Iowa shot 39.3 percent (11-28), including just 3-of-11 from downtown in the first half. Drake connected on 36.7 percent of its field goal attempts but was 6-for-14 from 3-point range.

Iowa had a 10-0 advantage in points off turnovers and blocked nine shots.

Iowa has set the Wells Fargo Arena college basketball record for blocks in the first half alone with 9. The previous game record was 7.December 19, 2015

Iowa has set the Wells Fargo Arena college basketball record for blocks in the first half alone with 9. The previous game record was 7.

— Iowa Basketball (@IowaHoops)

Preview

Game 1: Iowa (7-3) vs. Drake (4-6)

Time: 3:30 p.m.

TV: ESPN3 (Online only)

Pregame Reading: Iowa's Jok impresses, improves as he matures

Hawkeyes focusing on closing out games

Drake building a program with patience

Iowa Leaders: Jarrod Uthoff (19.6 ppg, 2.8 bpg, .510 3p%), Adam Woodbury (6.8 rpg, .576 fg%), Mike Gesell (7.0 apg, 1.5 spg), Peter Jok (.857ft%)

Drake Leaders: Reed Timmer (19.0 ppg, .824 ft%, .545 3p%), Jacob Enevold Jensen (6.4 rpg), Graham Woodward (3.6 apg), Ore Arogundade (1.0 spg), Dominik Olejniczak (0.6 bpg, .621 fg%)

**

Game 2: No. 2 Iowa State (9-0) vs. Northern Iowa (6-3)

Time: 6 p.m.

TV: ESPNU (Online: WatchESPN)

Pregame Reading: Georges Niang got an early scouting report on UNI

UNI has power of belief headed into ISU game

ISU's Naz Mitrou-Long now a 'coach'

ISU Leaders: Georges Niang (17.4 ppg, .893 ft%), Jameel McKay (11.2 rpg, 1.4 bpg, .629 fg%), Monte Morris (7.9 apg, 2.0 spg), Matt Thomas (.465 3p%)

UNI Leaders: Wes Washpun (15.2 ppg, 6.0 apg), Paul Jesperson (6.3 rpg, .913 ft%), Jeremy Morgan (1.8 spg, 0.8 bpg, .582 fg%, .458 3p%)