SIOUX FALLS, SD – The UNI men’s basketball team dropped the season opener to the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky 93-87 at the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic.
UNI opened the game with four made three pointers by AJ Green, Noah Carter, and freshman Bowen Born. The three would finish with 72 of the Panthers 87 points in the game.
UNI trailed the Hilltoppers 39-31 at halftime after shooting 37.9% (11-29) from the field and 44% (8-18) from beyond the arc. The Hilltoppers went 16 for 38 from the field in the first half and made just 4 of their 13 three-point attempts. The Panthers turned the ball over 12 times leading to 13 Hilltopper points. The Hilltoppers found success in the paint in the first half, scoring 22 of the teams 39 points down low.
The Panthers started the second half hot, scoring four three pointers in the opening three minutes to get within a single point of the Hilltoppers. Noah Carter hit threes early and often in the second half making 7 second half threes. Carter set a new single game record for made threes in a game with nine, breaking a record set by Cam Johnson in the 1993-94 season and tied by Paul Jesperson in the 2015-16 season and again last year by Trae Berhow.
The Panthers finished the game shooting 46% (29-63) from the field and tied the UNI record for team three pointers in a game with 20, going 20-39 from beyond the arc. The Panthers recorded 17 turnovers, surrendering 19 total points from turnovers.
THE PANTHERS
Noah Carter finished with 28 points going 9-15 from the field and 9-13 from beyond the arc.
Noah Carter set the single game three pointers made record with 9 made threes.
AJ Green recorded 28 points, going 10-20 from the field and 6-12 from beyond the arc.
Noah Carter and AJ Green also led the Panthers with 7 rebounds apiece.
UNI held its largest lead in the first half at 15:46 when they led 9-4.
UNI held the lead for 8:42
UNI’s largest scoring run was 9 points to start the second half.
THE HILLTOPPERS
Taveion Hollingsworth led the Hilltoppers in scoring with 26 points.
Dayvion McKnight finished the game with 21 points.
Chalres Bassey hauled in a team high 8 rebounds.
WKU largest lead came at the end of first half when it led the Panthers by 11.
WKU scored 14 unanswered points to end the first half.
WKU held the lead for 27:15
UP NEXT
Moving to the consolation side of the bracket, the Panthers will now take on the Gaels of Saint Mary’s on Thursday, November 26 at 4 PM. The Gaels fell to the Tigers of Memphis in the 1PM game, 73-56. The game can be viewed on ESPN Networks.
