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Feb. 27, 2008

Final Stats |  Quotes |  Photo Gallery 

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - On Senior Night at the McLeod Center, the University of Northern Iowa's seniors came up big, combining for 48 points to lead the Panthers to a 73-58 win over Indiana State.

Center Eric Coleman led the way with 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists, his 13^th double-double of the season and 33^rd of his career.  Shooting guard Adam Viet nailed four three-pointers en route to a season-high 16 points, and point guard Jared Josten added 11 points and five rebounds.

Indiana State led just once in the game, at 3-2 after Harry Marshall hit a three-pointer one minute into the game.  Viet answered with his first trifecta, putting the Panthers in front for good, 5-3.  UNI went on a 6-2 run to open a 17-10 lead with just over 10 minutes left in the first half, and after ISU pulled within 20-15, Josten hit back-to-back threes during a 10-1 run that gave UNI its largest first-half advantage, 30-19, with 5:22 left.  Indiana State scored the next six points to get within 30-25, and got as close as 33-32 after a three-pointer from Cole Holmstrom.  UNI's Travis Brown had the final basket of the half, giving UNI a 35-32 lead heading into the locker room.

ISU tied the game on the opening possession of the second half on a three-pointer from Marico Stinson, his first points of the contest after going 0-for-5 from the floor in the first 20 minutes.  The Panthers answered with a trey from Viet and a conventional three-point play from Coleman to go back up by six, 41-35.  The Sycamores then went on a 6-1 run to pull within 42-41, but were unable to convert on several chances to take the lead.  The Panthers were in front, 50-48, with just under nine minutes left when the Panthers got a layup from freshman Lucas O'Rear and another three from Viet to push its lead to 55-48 with 7:08 on the clock.  Indiana State never got closer than six points the rest of the way, as UNI held a double-digit lead most of the last four minutes, winning 73-58.

UNI shot just 37 percent from the field for the game, but was 31-for-37 from the free throw line, including 24-for-30 at the stripe in the second half.  Indiana State connected on 35 percent of its field goals and was 16-for-21 at the charity stripe.  The Panthers also won the rebounding battle, 38-34.

With the win, UNI snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 16-13 overall, 8-9 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while Indiana State had its four-game winning streak snapped and fell to 14-14, 8-9 in league games.  The Panthers close out the regular season on Saturday (Mar. 1) when they travel to face Evansville, with tipoff from Roberts Stadium set for 7:05 pm.  If UNI defeats Evansville and Indiana State loses at home to Missouri State, the Panthers will be the #6 seed in next week's  State Farm Missouri Valley Conference tournament.  Otherwise, UNI will be the #7 seed.