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Feb. 20, 2007

Final Stats

Peoria, Ill. - 2The University of Northern Iowa shot a season-best 63 percent from the field - including 78 percent (14-for-18) in the second half - and defeated Bradley, 79-70, Tuesday night at Carver Arena.

UNI put five players in double figures for the third time this season. Brooks McKowen (Fairbank, Iowa) and Travis Brown (Richfield, Minn.) led the way with 15 points apiece. Eric Coleman (Maplewood, Minn.) had 14, Jared Josten (Webster City, Iowa) scored 11 and Grant Stout (New Sharon, Iowa) chipped in with 10. Coleman and Stout each posted double-doubles, grabbing 10 rebounds apiece. McKowen had eight assists and no turnovers, while grabbing seven rebounds. Bradley was led by Ruffin who scored a game high 20 points and dished out nine assists.

Both teams were hot from the field in the first half, with the Panthers connecting on 54 percent of their shots and the Braves 52 percent of theirs. UNI held a slight lead much of the opening 20 minutes, and went up 28-25 with 5:50 left, after a Brown jumper from the wing. Bradley then started firing from downtown, connecting on five treys over the final five minutes of the half, to go into intermission with a 43-36 lead. Bradley made 8-of-15 three-point attempts in the first half.

Bradley extended its lead to as many as nine points (55-46) with 14:37 left, after a conventional three-point play from Ruffin. Stout then started an 8-0 Panthers run with back-to-back baskets, and Brown finished the rally with a wide open three from the corner.

Bradley hit back-to-back treys to rebuild its lead to 61-54 with 10:26 left, but UNI answered with seven straight to pull even at 64-all. Bradley took its final lead of the game, 63-61, on a dunk by Zach Andrews, with 8:39 left, but the Braves would score just one field goal the rest of the way. UNI scored 10 straight points to build a 71-63 lead with 2:33 left, and the Panthers hit all eight of their free throws in the final two minutes to claim the 79-70 win.

UNI improved to 17-12 overall and 8-9 in the Missouri Valley Conference, and the win snapped a season-long five-game losing streak. Bradley fell to 19-11 overall and 9-8 in the Valley. The Panthers close the regular season this Saturday (Feb. 24) at the McLeod Center, hosting Illinois State at 7:05 p.m.