UNI men’s basketball showcases athleticism in season-opening win over Dubuque

CEDAR FALLS — Northern Iowa ran past Dubuque in its men’s basketball season opener Monday night, 96-54.

Clinging to a 19-16 lead with 11:07 remaining in the first half and Dubuque on an 8-0 run, UNI Coach Ben Jacobson called timeout and the McLeod Center crowd was nearly silent.

The Panthers spent the remainder of the half putting together a 25-6 run and a 20-point halftime lead.

“We just really wanted to focus on keeping that intensity, pressuring the ball and honestly keep playing our style of basketball. I think we strayed away (from it) for a little bit,” UNI guard Leon Bond III said. “The message (in the timeout) was really just let’s get back to our brand of basketball.”

UNI scored nine points in transition during the outburst and put its athleticism on display as Bond — a Virginia transfer — and Loyola-Chicago transfer Ben Schwieger both threw down a pair of impressive dunks.

“Leon, Ben and Will (Hornseth) certainly make us a bigger, longer, more athletic team,” Jacobson said. “So now you are able to do some more things. Some of those things are ones that we’ll call, maybe, as an offensive play. Or, we’ll maybe get to some things where we’re doing some things defensively where we’re getting some traps, trying to work to take advantage of some of the length, some of the athleticism.”

The Panthers’ balance and depth went on display first, as eight different players combined to score the team’s first eight field goals.

“We’re always swinging the (ball) one extra pass. That’s just our mentality,” Bond said. “This is a fun group and we’re so unselfish. We got to yell at each other to shoot the ball, if anything.”

The lead was extended to 30 points shortly after back-to-back 3s from sophomore forward Kyle Pock with just over 12 minutes to play. But in a game that included a number of positives for the Panthers, perimeter shooting lagged behind, making 5 of 17 attempts from 3.

“For me I don’t make much of whether a guy makes it or misses it — we talk to the guys all the time about preparation,” Jacobson said. “You get in the gym and you work hard and then trust that it matters. So, when you’re playing you’re not thinking about it if you miss one or make one, and the guys know that from me.”

Five Panthers finished in double figures, led by RJ Taylor and Tytan Anderson, who each scored 13. Bond and Schwieger finished with 12 points apiece and Max Weisbrod had 11.

UNI (1-0) returns to action Thursday at home against Milwaukee (1-0) at 7 p.m. (ESPN+).