Panthers hang on to get by Bradley

CEDAR FALLS - During most games, Ben Jacobson never sits and rarely looks frazzled or on edge. Last night, however, tested Jacobson's patience.

Bradley tormented the University of Northern Iowa at times but the Panthers' poise won out in a wild, 52-50 triumph.

UNI (15-1 overall, 6-0 MVC) tied its school record for consecutive victories (14). Jordan Eglseder and Ali Farokhmanesh combined for 25 points.

Reserve forward Lucas O'Rear loomed large too, batting away a Bradley lob to the basket with 0.6 seconds remaining, which iced it.

In a physical game when someone seemed to be diving on the floor at all times and with multiple testy moments, the Panthers' experience may have been the difference. UNI returned nine of its top 10 scorers from last year, and Bradley's roster features 10 underclassmen.

This game featured the MVC's top defense, UNI (allowing 53.4 points in league play), against the league's worst, Bradley (79.8). But on a night when Sports Illustrated sent staff photographer Greg Nelson to the McLeod Center, the visitors looked more photogenic much of the middle portion the game.

UNI bolted out of the gates on a 10-2 run, but Bradley soon began to dictate the pace of play in a sloppy first half that included 23 combined turnovers. The Panthers surpassed their per-game turnover average by halftime, coughing the ball up 11 times in the first 20 minutes. As a result, Bradley claimed a 27-26 lead at the break.

After dropping Bradley to 7-9 overall and 2-4 in the MVC Tuesday, UNI will brace for a clash with league upstart Indiana State Saturday night.