UNI takes second straight loss

At his weekly press luncheon, Northern Iowa Coach Ben Jacobson said through the Panthers' inconsistency over the last 10 games, he was happy to see his team hadn't allowed the down games to carry over into back-to-back losses.

For the first time this season, UNI failed in that area, and suffered its second straight loss, 59-58, to Missouri State on the road at JQH Arena in Springfield, Mo.

The Panthers (9-7, 1-2 Missouri Valley Conference) held a 50-40 lead with 9:17 remaining, but scored just eight more the rest of the way — with two crucial turnovers mixed in — while ultimately being out-rebounded by seven to the Bears (5-10, 1-2).

'When they don't lead until their last possession and then you have one (in the final seconds); when they don't lead for that long, those sting. There's no two ways around it — especially when you had the ball in your hands up four or five,' Jacobson said in his postgame radio interview with Learfield Sports. 'There were a couple key ones in the second half we didn't (rebound). Those are ones we've talked about too many times.

'At some point, and it's kind of come and gone with this team, but at some point they're going to have to take some ownership of that part of the game. There's only so many times you can watch the same thing happen. They're going to have to take some ownership in terms of rebounding.'

UNI led by two at halftime, making Wednesday night's loss the first this season in which the Panthers had led at the break.

The Panthers were in foul trouble most of the night, with Paul Jesperson never able to get fully settled, and ultimately fouling out with 9:38 to go in the game. He and starting center Bennett Koch played a combined 28 minutes dealing with foul trouble and with Missouri State going into a zone, thereby forcing the ball around the perimeter.

UNI finished the game with 40 percent shooting from the field, but only attempted four free throws. Jacobson said in his radio interview he and his staff will have to look back on film to see if there was a different way to attack the Bears' zone and be more effective.

Missouri State used a 6-0 run in the final three minutes to secure the victory. UNI had turnovers from Jeremy Morgan with 1:55 left, up 58-54, and 1:26 left, up 58-55, that aided the Bears' extra chances at the win. The winning basket came on a layup from Dequon Miller with 0:06 remaining. Wes Washpun, who finished with 15 points, had a look at the rim at the buzzer, but his layup rolled out.

The winning basket for January 7, 2016

The winning basket for @MSUBearsHoops. pic.twitter.com/Uh5C8QGR4I

— MVC Basketball (@ValleyHoops)

The Bears ultimately outscored the Panthers 19-8 in the final 9:17 for the victory.

'We had finally gotten into a spot where you could put the game away … You go from 10 to four in 30 seconds when, at that point of the game, it was the first time we had extended a lead or had a lead and it was a good time for stop and basket,' Jacobson said. 'You've got a good chance to have the game be over with with six minutes left. We had two different chances today to get the game over with. We should be able to get back, we should be able to get covered up and wall guys up and not allow a layup at that point (in the final seconds).

'Bottom line, we had two chances. You've got to make one or two more plays and then you're fine.'

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