NACOGDOCHES, TX – The University of Northern Iowa men’s basketball snapped Stephen F. Austin’s 34-game home streak with a 79-77 overtime win on Tuesday morning.
UNI (2-0 overall) had six players in double figures with senior Marvin Singleton leading the way with a career-high 15 points.
Senior Deon Mitchell forced the extra session with a bucket and a free throw with 50.8 seconds left in regulation that knotted the game at 70-70.
The overtime session saw seven lead changes with the final one coming on a putback from junior transfer Paul Jesperson with 39.7 seconds remaining. SFA’s Thomas Walkup missed a three-pointer and Wes Washpun was fouled with 10.7 seconds left. Washpun made the first but missed the second.
SFA (1-1 overall) raced down the floor and Demetrious Floyd’s floater in the lane hit the back rim and bounced out left. Jesperson grabbed the rebound and clock expired on the game – and on SFA’s 34-game home-court win streak, the second-longest active streak in the nation.
UNI struggled with 1-of-7 shooting from 3-point land in the first half, but bounced back and drained its first four three-pointers in the second half. SFA made 7-of-16 3-pointers in the first half but made only three triples in the second half.
UNI will return home and play host to Morgan State on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the McLeod Center.
