PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Freshman Seth Tuttle’s two free throws with 1.3 seconds left lifted the University of Northern Iowa men’s basketball team to a 67-65 win over Saint Joseph’s in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament.
UNI (20-13 overall) got a career-high 23 points from Tuttle. Tuttle also recorded 11 rebounds in the win. Junior guard Marc Sonnen added 15 points, including a pair of 3-pointers.
UNI held a 38-31 lead midway through the second half before SJU rallied to tie the game. The Panthers then opened up a 61-55 lead with 2:35 left before SJU did it again.
The Hawks knotted the game at 65-65 on a dunk from Ronald Roberts with 7.0 seconds left in the game.
The Panthers pushed the ball down the floor and found Tuttle under the basket where he was fouled with 1.3 left. Tuttle made both free throws and St. Joe’s full-length pass went out of bounds with 0.2 left giving the Panthers the ball and the win.
UNI will play Drexel in the second round of the NIT. The game will be played at Drexel with the date and time to be determined.
NOTES: UNI’s Johnny Moran played in his 134th career game setting the UNI school record for games played … Moran passed Kwadzo Ahelegbe’s 133 games played from 2006-2011 … Chip Rank has made at least one 3-pointer in 11 straight games … UNI has won 20 games in a season for the fourth straight season – the longest active streak in the Missouri Valley Conference.
