CEDAR FALLS — The UNI Panther men’s basketball team launched a new era Tuesday, November 3, 2026, with a 106-70 victory over Cornell College at the McLeod Center, giving head coach Kyle Green his first Division I coaching win in Northern Iowa’s 2026-27 regular-season opener.
The Panthers (1-0) led just 45-42 at halftime before overwhelming the Division III Rams with a 61-28 second half. Carson Vis scored a career-high 18 points, Greyson Uelmen added 17, and five UNI players finished in double figures before a crowd of 2,848.
UNI basketball pulls away after competitive first half
Northern Iowa built a lead as large as 12 points before the break, but Cornell cut into the margin by hitting six first-half three-pointers. The Panthers struggled from the perimeter, making just three of 18 three-point attempts over the first 20 minutes.
Vis and Uelmen scored 11 points apiece in the first half, but Braydon Osborn’s three-pointer at the buzzer trimmed UNI’s advantage to 45-42.
Northern Iowa seized control after intermission, shooting 57.9 percent from the field and outscoring Cornell 61-28. UNI’s defense forced 17 turnovers in the second half, producing 21 points from those mistakes. The Panthers scored 34 points in the paint after halftime and led by as many as 40.
Carson Vis leads balanced Panther offense
Vis finished with 18 points, four rebounds, two steals and two made three-pointers. Uelmen contributed 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals, while making all eight free throws.
Isaiah Johnson-Arigu scored 12 points, Geon Hutchins added 11 and four rebounds, and Tate McCubbin contributed 10 points and six rebounds. Will Gerdes finished with nine points, while Levi Valdo and Jalen Wilson each added six.
All 14 Panthers saw action and 13 scored. UNI shot 47.3 percent overall, collected 46 rebounds and registered 20 steals. The Panthers held a 52-22 advantage in points in the paint, scored 32 points off Cornell’s 29 turnovers and outscored the Rams 28-2 in fast-break points.
Cornell’s Nick Hanson led all scorers with 23 points, while Kylen Bonner scored 15 for the Rams.
Kyle Green wins his debut as UNI head coach
Green earned his first Division I coaching victory and his 49th college head coaching win after previous stops at Western Colorado, Lewis and Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He became the ninth UNI men’s basketball coach to win his first game leading the Panthers.
UNI has now won three consecutive season openers and 24 of its last 26. The 106 points were the program’s most in a season opener since a 111-point performance against Culver-Stockton in 1967-68. Northern Iowa is 43-1 all-time when scoring at least 100 points.
Five players made their collegiate debuts and six others made their first official UNI appearances after previously playing Division I basketball.
NIT also covered the Panthers’ 85-78 exhibition victory over Upper Iowa in the lead-up to the season.
UNI men’s basketball visits Furman next
Northern Iowa travels to Greenville, South Carolina, on Saturday, November 7, to face Furman at Timmons Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. Central, with coverage on ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network.