EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The UNI men’s basketball team led from the opening tip to the final whistle on Sunday afternoon, dominating the Evansville Purple Aces in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play at the Ford Center in a 62-48 victory.
Northern Iowa knocked down eight three-point shots in the opening frame and shot 45.8% from the field for its third consecutive win over the Purple Aces, improving to 4-0 in league play for the first time in 16 years.
Overcoming turnovers and foul troubles throughout the first half, UNI’s offense thrived in the first half on 50% shooting, knocking down eight three-point baskets. Northern Iowa built its lead with a 9-0 scoring run while holding Evansville scoreless for a five and a half minute stretch. Nine of ten Panthers who hit the floor in the first half scored, with Ismaël Diouf leading the charge with eight points, while Kyle Pock knocked down two triples for a six-point half to give UNI a 34-18 halftime lead.
Ben Schwieger paced the Panthers in the second stanza with a ten-point showing while also leading UNI with four rebounds. Despite a strong start by the Purple Aces, Northern Iowa continued to defend the three-point arc, not allowing a three-point basket until the final six and a half minutes. Will Hornseth added seven points with four points each from Campbell and Leon Bond III as UNI rolled to a 14-point victory.
Schwieger finished the game with a team-high 14 points and season-high eight rebounds, with Hornseth scoring nine points with five boards. Diouf posted eight points, while Campbell posted seven points with five assists and Bond with seven points. Pock tallied six points with a career-high tying three steals as Max Weisbrod notched six points and four assists.
“We shot the ball well from the three-point line and it was important today,” said head coach Ben Jacobson. “It felt like we had a couple opportunities around the rim that we couldn’t quite finish so that was key. You got to take care of your opportunities and our guys have been able to do that so far being able to weather their way through games.”
ADDITIONAL NOTES
UNI improves to 38-30 all-time against Evansville with Sunday’s win, including 27-13 under head coach Ben Jacobson.
Northern Iowa’s victory marks the Panthers’ first 4-0 start to league play since the 2009-10 season when they won their first seven conference games.
The Panthers have now held 14 of its first 15 opponents under 70 points this season, including nine under 60 points and two under 50.
The Panthers’ 48 points allowed are tied for the fewest by an opponent this season. UNI’s 18 points allowed in the first half also tied for a season-low.
Northern Iowa has now held six straight opponents under 20% shooting from three-point range after holding the Purple Aces to one-of-14 from beyond the arc.
Leon Bond III recorded his 500th career point on Sunday. Bond, who previously played at Virginia (2022-24), has scored 408 points since joining the Panthers last season.
Ben Schwieger is 40 points shy of becoming the 116th member of UNI’s 500 career point club.
UP NEXT
The Panthers return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 7 when they host the Belmont Bruins. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT at the McLeod Center with live coverage of the game can be found on ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network (93.5 The Mix).
