UNI Panthers overcome slow start, dominate Omaha 78-58

CEDAR FALLS — Northern Iowa overcame a slow start and ran past Omaha at McLeod Center Friday night, 78-58.

After trailing the first 11 minutes of the game, UNI (6-4, 1-0) put together its most impressive scoring run of its season, pouring in 25 unanswered the final five minutes of the first half and first three minutes of the second half.

“We really got cranked up, I thought, defensively that last three and a half minutes (of the first half),” UNI coach Ben Jacobson said. “Defensively it felt like we made it hard enough for them and two things happened on offense — we were able to get it into transition and get one or two baskets and then we executed a play or two really well to get the other (baskets).”

Trey Campbell scored the first field goal of the run with a contested, fastbreak layup. Two possessions later he hit the first of back-to-back 3s to extend the Panthers’ lead to seven.

Leon Bond then added a fadeaway jumper from just outside the block, and after a called timeout, Campbell found a cutting Tytan Anderson for a layup just before halftime to take a 34-23 lead into the break.

“Our focus — that’s one thing we’ve been working on is our focus. Staying focused is a big thing for us,” UNI guard Trey Campbell said in regards to a now three-game winning streak.

UNI kept its pressure on Omaha’s defense to begin the second half, playing downhill and making four trips to the free throw line — netting six points with a Campbell 3 in between to gain a 20-point lead with 16:52 remaining.

“Putting more pressure on the rim is something we have talked about. I’d say over the last 10 days— probably coming out of (the NIT Season Tip-Off),” Jacobson said. “So, tonight we made 28 free throws, and I think we had (32) points in the paint.”

Omaha found its way back into the game midway through the second half, using a full court defense and transition offense to provoke an 11-2 run with just over 10 minutes to play.

The Mavericks got within 11 points of UNI after their adjustments, but after putting UNI in the bonus with 12:55 left in the game, the Panthers scored 15 of their final 30 points at the free throw line to fend off the comeback bid.

All five UNI starters finished in double figures, led by Jacob Hutson’s 21 points. Campbell finished with 20 points, while Anderson had 12, Leon Bond III had 11 and Ben Schwieger scored 10.

Anderson’s ninth and 10th points of the game — which game on a layup with nearly four minutes into the second half — made him the 46th Panther all-time to join the 1,000-point club.

“Look, you guys have heard me talk about him before. It doesn’t make it any less fun to talk about him again right now,” Jacobson said. “You got a guy as committed as he is, a fifth-year guy (and) he does such a great job at all the things that you want your older guys doing in terms of leadership and toughness and being scrappy and hard-nosed. Really happy for (Tytan) and he’s earned it.”

UNI returns to action Monday at home against Montana (7-4). Tip-off at McLeod Center is at 7pm (ESPN+).