UNI dominant again, this time at Missouri State

The Northern Iowa men's basketball team continued its winning ways on Sunday, dispatching Missouri State, 68-57.

Forward Seth Tuttle once again led the No. 12/13 Panthers (23-2, 13-1 Missouri Valley Conference) with 22 points on 10 of 12 shooting and added four rebounds and three assists. Deon Mitchell and former Iowa City West guard Jeremy Morgan were also in double figures, both finishing with 11 points.

UNI's win marked its 13th straight, among the five best current win streaks in the country. The Panthers stay on the road, going to Loyola in Chicago on Wednesday.

The full release from Sunday's game at Missouri State is below:

'SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team won its 13th straight game with a 68-57 victory at Missouri State on Sunday.

The victory gives UNI its best start to a season in school history at 24-2 - eclipsing the 23-2 mark set in the 1963-64 season. UNI is also 13-1 in Missouri Valley Conference play and in a tie for first place with Wichita State. Missouri State falls to 9-17 overall and 3-11 in league action.

UNI drained 12 three-pointers for the second consecutive game. The Panthers handed out a season-high 19 assists. The Panthers were led by Seth Tuttle's game-high 22 points (10-of-12 FGs). Deon Mitchell also contributed with 11 points, seven assists and five steals.

The Bears scored the first basket of the game only to see the Panthers run off 11 straight points. UNI pushed the lead to 16-4 with 14:19 left in the first half - a spurt that was fueled by 10 early points from Seth Tuttle.

UNI took a 42-20 lead into the intermission. The Panthers drained nine 3-pointers in the first half.

UNI pushed its largest lead to 26 at 49-23 with 17:19 left in the game. Following a Mitchell 3-pointer with 6:42 left, UNI had a 64-39 lead. Missouri State would outscore UNI the rest of the way, 18-4, to close the final margin to 11.

The Panthers will travel to Chicago, Ill., to take on the Loyola Ramblers on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

NOTES: UNI's 13-game win streak ranks as the fifth-best active win streak in NCAA Division I basketball … UNI has won 11 road/neutral games this season … the victory was UNI's eighth road win of the season tying it for the second-most road wins in school history (UNI also won eight road games in 2008-09 - UNI won nine road games in 2009-10) … UNI's 13-1 start to MVC play ties it for the best start in school history - the Panthers also started 13-1 in the 2009-10 season … UNI head coach Ben Jacobson became the eighth MVC coach to tally 100 league victories … Jacobson is 100-58 in MVC play … the win gives UNI a season sweep of Missouri State - marking the 30th sweep of an MVC school for the Panthers under the direction of head coach Ben Jacobson … Jacobson has swept the season series vs. the Bears on five occasions (2008-09, 2009-10, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15) … UNI has defeated Missouri State six straight times … UNI's 24 wins ranks as the second-most in a single-season in school history - trailing only the 2009-10 squad's total of 30 victories … Seth Tuttle played in his 127th career game moving him into a tie for No. 10 all-time at UNI with Grant Stout (2003-07) and Brooks McKowen (2003-07) … Deon Mitchell played in his 126th career game - tying him with Kerwin Dunham (2007-11) for No. 12 on the Panthers' s all-time games played list … with the victory, UNI has clinched either the No. 1 or No. 2 seed for the 2015 MVC Tournament in St. Louis.”

l Comments: (319) 368-8884; jeremiah.davis@thegazette.com