SPRINGFIELD, MO – The UNI men’s basketball team took on the Missouri State Bears on Saturday afternoon, defeating the MVC rival 80-57 to move to 14-2 on the season and 3-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
The Panthers opened the game hot, making the first five field goal attempts. UNI moved ahead by 20 with 11:15 remaining in the half before the Missouri State offense geared up. The Panthers wouldn’t slow down, shooting 59.4% from the field and 66.7% from three to take a 48-28 lead into halftime.
AJ Green led all scored with 18 first half points. Green went 6-10 from the field and 4-5 from beyond the arc. Isaiah Brown added nine points and four rebounds while Trae Berhow added eight points. Austin Phyfe led the Panthers with six rebounds and four assists.
The Panthers continued to pour it on in the second half, outscoring the Bears 32-29. UNI went 30-56 from the field and made 13 of their 22 three point attempts. The Panthers held Missouri State to just 35.9% from the field and never allowed the Bears to lead in the game.
KEY STATS
– Panthers are 14-2 for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
– AJ Green led the Panthers with 28 points (9-15 fg-fga)
– Austin Phyfe finished with 10 rebounds (4 Off, 6 Def) and 4 assists
– Panthers shot 53.6% from the field and 59.1% from beyond the arc.
UP NEXT
The Panthers will now shift their focus to the Crusaders of Valparaiso University. The Panthers will host the Crusaders inside the McLeod Center on Wednesday, January 15. The game will serve as a Fan4Pack game and will be a blackout. The game is set for a 7 pm tip and can be viewed on ESPN+.
