Panthers Beat Drake To Snap Seven-Game Skid, 79-60

The UNI Panthers snapped their seven-game losing streak with a 79-60 victory over in-state rival Drake at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls Sunday afternoon (Jan. 15, 2017).

UNI (6-11 overall, 1-5 MVC) got a pair of 21-point efforts from senior Jeremy Morgan and junior Bennett Koch to lead the way. Koch was a perfect 8-for-8 from the field and 5-for-6 at the free throw line. Senior Jordan Ashton tallied a career-high 17 points and redshirt freshman Spencer Haldeman scored 10 points off the bench.

Drake (5-13 overall, 3-3 MVC) was led in scoring by Reed Timmer's 18 points. Ore Arogundade scored 16 points and De'Antae McMurray added 13 points for the Bulldogs.

Drake led 7-4 after McMurray drained back-to-back three-pointers less than four minutes into the game. However, the Panthers responded with an 18-0 run that gave the home squad a 22-7 lead with 11:31 left in the half. The Panthers would eventually lead by as many as 24 points in the first half following a triple from Jordan Ashton that gave Coach Ben Jacobson's team a 37-13 lead.

UNI owned a 45-25 advantage at intermission. It marked the first time the Panthers had led at the half since Dec. 7, when they defeated South Dakota State.

The Panthers attacked early in the second half as Koch tallied a slam dunk on the opening possession of the half and then added an alley-oop stuff from Juwan McCloud on UNI's second possession. The dunks gave UNI a 49-27 lead with 19:01 left in the game.

Drake pulled to within 61-46 with 9:28 to go following a Timmer three-pointers, but an 8-0 run by the Panthers put the Bulldogs away.

UP NEXT: UNI is home against on Wednesday (Jan. 18), hosting the Loyola Ramblers at 7 p.m. at the McLeod Center. Tickets are available for the remaining six home games on the Panther schedule, which includes $10 adult and $5 youth tickets. Call 319-273-4849 or visit www.UNIPanthers.com/tickets.

Story Courtesy of UNI Sports Information