March 18, 2024

Panthers set school-record in blowout victory over SDSU

CEDAR FALLS — The University of Northern Iowa men’s basketball team set a school record with 20 made three-pointers and tied the Missouri Valley Conference mark in an 86-58 victory over the South Dakota State Jackrabbits on Wednesday in the McLeod Center.

UNI (4-4) snapped a four-game losing skid as the Panthers made 20-of-37 three-pointers against the Jackrabbits (4-7). UNI junior Hunter Rhodes buried six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 20 points off the bench.

Senior Jeremy Morgan tallied 17 points, eight rebounds, a career-high seven assists, two steals and a blocked shot in the victory.

Morgan drained five first-half 3-pointers en route to leading UNI to a 49-25 lead at the break.

San Diego State, which is coached by former Iowa State assistant coach T.J. Otzelberger and UNI were tied 9-all before the Panthers used a 12-0 to take a 21-9 lead.

The Panthers kept the run going and extended the lead to 28-11, which concluded UNI’s 19-2 spurt.

At the half, UNI had buried 13-of-23 shots from 3-point land and was shooting 55.2 percent from the field overall.

UNI took its largest lead of the contest at 59-31 following a pair of free throw makes from Ted Friedman.

SDSU whittled the lead down to 17 after a 13-2 run, but UNI’s Jordan Ashton hit a floater in the lane and Morgan sank a wide open jump shot from the elbow to push the lead back to 21 with 11:57 left in the game.

SDSU’s Mike Daum came into the game averaging 20.2 points per game and the Panthers limited Daum to 15 points on 3-of-9 shooting from the field.

UNI improved to 43-6 under coach Ben Jacobson when scoring 80 or more points

UNI will stay home and take on the University of North Dakota Saturday at 7 p.m. in the McLeod Center.