FINAL STATS
DAN MULLER INTERVIEW | PARIS LEE INTERVIEW
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Despite trailing by as many as 19 points, the Illinois State men's basketball team trimmed its deficit to three midway through the second half; however, Northern Iowa ultimately held on for a 75-66 Missouri Valley Conference win over the Redbirds Saturday afternoon at the McLeod Center.
The loss snapped ISU's season-best five-game winning streak and dropped the Redbirds (17-12, 11-5 MVC) into a tie with Evansville for second place in the league standings, with two regular-season games remaining. Northern Iowa (17-12, 9-7 MVC) is now in sole possession of fifth in the MVC.
Paris Lee led four Redbirds in double-figure scoring with 14 points, while matching a team-high with six rebounds. He also dished out seven assists and forced two steals. Five Panthers scored in double figures, including Wes Washpun, who netted a game-high 18 points. Illinois State shot 42.4 percent from the field, while UNI shot 55.1 percent. The Panthers also narrowly outrebounded the Redbirds, 30-29.
After Washpun threw down a dunk on the game's first possession, Illinois State answered with six-straight points. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Klint Carlson prompted a 10-0 UNI run, allowing the Panthers to take a 12-6 lead before Nick Banyard stopped the streak with a layup. Northern Iowa went on to build a 21-11 advantage, forcing the Redbirds to call timeout.
Out of the timeout, Lee buried a 3-pointer at the 9:38 mark, followed by back-to-back Justin McCloud trifectas, to cut a 10-point deficit to just one, 21-20, with 8:07 left in the first half. After ISU tied the game, 22-22, on a Quintin Brewer hook shot, Northern Iowa outscored the Redbirds, 16-2, to lead, 38-24, on a pair of Bennett Koch free throws at the 2:10 mark. Banyard broke the scoreless stretch with two free throws, with 1:49 remaining.
UNI held Illinois State without a field goal for the final 4:35 of the first half, as the Panthers led ISU, 40-26, at halftime. Northern Iowa shot 55.6 percent from the field in the opening stanza, while ISU was held to a 32.1 percent clip.
Washpun extended UNI's lead with a 3-pointer to start the second half, and Northern Iowa went on to establish its largest lead of the game, 45-26, with 18:03 remaining. McCloud then stopped Northern Iowa's 5-0 run by burying a three-ball to spark a 12-0 Redbird run, including five points by Tony Wills, as ISU pulled within 45-38 on a Brewer layup at the 12:48 mark. Wills' 3-pointer followed by Lee's three-point play cut ISU's deficit to three points, 49-46, with 10:25 remaining.
Northern Iowa then outscored ISU, 7-2, to regain an eight-point lead before the Redbirds cut their deficit to five points on a Banyard 3-pointer. After UNI reestablished a double-digit advantage, Lee converted a three-point play to pull Illinois State within 71-64 at the 1:55 mark. However, the Panthers ultimately held on for the nine-point victory.
With just two regular-season games remaining, the Redbirds return home for senior night versus Southern Illinois this Wednesday, Feb. 24 for a 6 p.m. game. Illinois State's three seniors – DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell, Quintin Brewer and Justin McCloud – will be honored in a pregame, on-court ceremony, beginning at approximately 5:45 p.m., and fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 5:40 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting or calling the ISU Athletics Ticket Office at (309) 438-8000, or by navigating to GoRedbirds.com/Tickets.
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