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Dec. 29, 2007

Final Stats

PEORIA, Ill. - Senior Eric Coleman had a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds, while fellow senior Jared Josten added 16 points, to lead the University of Northern Iowa to a 59-46 win over Bradley Saturday afternoon in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams.

In the last seven minutes, Coleman and Josten combined for 17 of UNI's 19 points.  Coleman had 10 points and Josten seven down the stretch, including the pair combining to connect on 9-of-11 free throws to power the Panthers to the victory. 

Bradley scored the game's opening basket, but the Panthers took a 5-2 lead after a Kerwin Dunham three-pointer from the left corner.  Bradley's Sam Maniscalco hit a layup to pull the Braves within 5-4, but UNI then went on a 14-0 run over the next 10 minutes to move in front 19-5.  The Panthers led 25-9 at the half, holding the Braves to just 17 percent shooting (4-for-24), including 1-for-12 on three-pointers.  The nine first half points allowed was the fewest UNI has given up in a half since joining the Division I ranks in the 1980-81 season, and it was just two points off the NCAA record for fewest points allowed in a half (seven) since the shot clock was introduced in the 1985-86 campaign.

The Braves made a charge at the Panthers to start the second half.  Bradley senior Jeremy Crouch, who had been shut out in the first 20 minutes, scored eight early second-half points - including a pair of threes - as Bradley opened with an 18-7 run over the first seven minutes to pull as close as five, 32-27.  But Travis Brown scored six points during an 8-0 run that pushed UNI's lead back to 40-27 with 8:47 remaining. 

UNI's lead remained at double-digits until Bradley made one last push.  The Braves had pulled within seven, 48-41, with just over two minutes remaining, when Josten drained a 10 foot fadeaway baseline jumper as the shot clock expired to push the Panthers back in front by nine.  Bradley was forced to foul and UNI made its free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.

UNI shot 41percent from the field on the night, and held a commanding edge in rebounding, 45-27.  The Panthers held Bradley to just 32 percent shooting for the game, including 6-for-29 from three-point range.  Maniscalco led Bradley with 15 points.

With the win, UNI improved to 9-3 on the season, 1-0 in Missouri Valley Conference play, while Bradley fell to 7-6, 0-1.  The Panthers play host to Evansville on Jan. 2 at 7:05 pm in the McLeod Center.