UNI men’s basketball ends 3-game losing streak with ‘great response’ against Missouri State

CEDAR FALLS — A strong second half sent Northern Iowa past Missouri State in a Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball game at McLeod Center Wednesday night, 72-65

A back-and-forth first half ended in favor of the Bears, 32-30. Then UNI (13-11, 7-6 MVC) began the second half on an 8-0 run that seemingly provided a much-needed spark for the game’s remaining 17 minutes.

“It felt like we got going and got to the level of just the physicality and how hard you have to play no matter what’s going on,” UNI Coach Ben Jacobson said. “Tonight it felt much more as a group. The group toughness really, really matters. In the second half we got some things going around the basket early.”

UNI’s 8-0 run was highlighted by a Nate Heise baseline dunk assisted by Jacob Hutson. Less than two minutes later, Bowen Born was fouled as he made a jump shot and the junior guard completed the three-point play, provoking a Missouri State timeout.

The Bears (14-10, 6-7) recaptured the lead just over two minutes later when Alston Mason — who scored a game-high 19 points — hit a step-back jumper and made a contested, driving layup for a 44-43 lead with 12:40 to play.

The Panthers quickly answered, though, going on a 13-3 run that gave them a lead they didn’t relinquish.

“Just mentality and physicality, pretty much,” UNI guard Trey Campbell said was key to the win. “Just not getting punked. We felt like we got punked on Saturday (against Murray State) and we weren’t going to let it happen (Wednesday).”

UNI’s game-winning run that extended its lead to nine was punctuated by seven consecutive points from Hutson.

Hutson — who scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half — helped play closer in the final four minutes, slamming home a one-handed dunk in between two clutch 3s from Trey Campbell to end any chances of a Missouri State comeback.

“Felt like (Hutson’s) best game in terms of being super physical,” Jacobson said. “(He’s) probably a little more mobile and a little tougher than he gives himself credit for. In some ways that’s a good thing. He’s a really humble young man. I think this will be a game for (him) that he can really take a little, move forward. He’s capable of doing this a lot.”

Heise led UNI with 17 points and was joined in double figures by Hutson and Born — who finished with 10 points.

The Panthers’ win snapped their three-game losing streak and Missouri State’s four-game winning streak. The win also felt a bit more important than the typical high stakes of a Missouri Valley Conference game after having suffered the worst home loss in the Jacobson era to Murray State (71-43) last Saturday.

“There certainly was more to this game because of what happened on Saturday,” Jacobson acknowledged. “Our guys could feel it at practice and they could feel it going into the basketball game. You want to get that behind you as fast as you can. The effort tonight was worthy of it. It was a great response by the guys.”

UNI returns to action Sunday at Illinois-Chicago. Tipoff at Credit Union 1 Arena is at 3 p.m. (ESPN+).