UNI gets a road win over Illinois State

NORMAL, Ill. - Northern Iowa team picked up its first road win of the Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball season last night with a 46-44 victory over the Illinois State Redbirds.

UNI (12-6, 3-3 MVC) used a 9-2 run in the final 6:08 to rally for the two-point victory.

Illinois State (8-9, 0-6MVC) led 42-37 after a jumper by Austin Hill with 6:08 left. But UNI's Anthony James hit a jumper with 5:26 left to cut it to three, then Jake Koch made a 3-pointer to knot the game at 42-42 with 4:35 remaining.

James then hit two more baskets to finish the scoring for the Panthers. UNI held Illinois State scoreless over the final 3:06 after the Redbirds' Jackie Carmichael hit a jumper from the left baseline.

UNI had a chance to ice the game with 10.8 seconds left, but James missed the front end of a 1-and-1 to give Illinois State one more shot. Anthony Cousin's 3-pointer bounced off the rim and Lucas O'Rear grabbed the rebound to seal the win.

“Our guys are committed to guarding and rebounding, and that gives us a chance to win games,” UNI Coach Ben Jacobson said. “We were trying to switch screens on the final play and I didn't convey that to our guys well enough. They got a look, and at that point you just hope it doesn't go in. But our guys did a good job of defending all night, especially the final six minutes.”