CEDAR FALLS – The Panthers hosted the Rams of Cornell College in the McLeod Center on Wednesday night, defeating the division III opponent 88-66 to move to 6-0 on the season. The Panther win marks the first time since the 2015-16 season that the team has scored over 80 points in back to back wins.
The Panthers dominated the game from start to finished, scoring the game’s first 13 points before surrendering a point. UNI took a 58-29 lead into halftime, shooting 63% from the field, the highest first half percentage of the season.
Trae Berhow led all scorers after 20 minutes of play, recording 18 points going 7-7 from the field and 4-4 from beyond the arc. James Betz finished with 10 first half points, going 4-5 from the field and 2-2 from the free throw line.
The Panthers picked up right where they left off in the second half, stretching their lead to a 37 from a AJ Green fast break layup with 9:45 remaining. Green totaled 15 points, & dished out a team high 5 assists.
All three freshman recorded career highs with James Betz finishing with 16 points, going 6-11 from the field and 4-4 from the free throw line, Noah Carter finished with a career high 8 points and 4 rebounds, and Antwan Kimmons recorded a career high 3 steals, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist.
KEY STATS
- The UNI defense held Cornell scoreless until the 14:24 mark (UNI leads 13-2)
- Trae Berhow scores 11-points in 2-minutes to give the Panthers a 38-20 lead
- Berhow finishes the first half on fire, scoring 18-points and shooting 100% from the field
- James Betz was 6-11 from the field and 4-4 from the free throw line and set a new career high with 16 points
- Antwan Kimmons sets a new career high with 3 steals
- Noah Carter had a career high 8-points, shooting 4-5 from the field as well as a new career high in rebounds with 4
- Lincoln Conrey records his first points of the season with 3:42 left
The 6-0 Panthers will now head to warmer weather, playing in the Cancun Challenge at the Hard Rock Hotel in Cancun, Mexico. The Panthers will play West Virginia on Tuesday, November 26 at 7:30. The two games in Mexico will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
