CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Missouri State held Northern Iowa well below its season field goal percentage while posting its best road shooting effort since early December. But the home-standing Panthers capitalized on their ample free throw chances to slip past the Bears, 79-68, in MSU’s final trip to the McLeod Center.
The Bears (7-13, 0-9 MVC) drew within four after a shot-clock beating bucket off the glass from Chase Martin with 5:53 to play. But the visitors would go the next four minutes without a field goal while UNI (12-8, 6-3) closed things out at the line, primarily turning to Tytan Anderson who finished with 21 points, including 11-for-14 at the stripe.
Zaxton King led the Bears with 17 points, while Michael Ose-Bonsu scored 11, and Dez White added 10. MoState was 25-of-47 (.532) from the field for the game, including another 11 threes to match a season best, and 7-of-10 at the foul line. The Bears matched the Panthers on the glass, 27-27, but surrendered eight second-chance points.
King’s five threes was a season high.
UNI, which came into the game ranked in the top 10 nationally in field goal shooting, finished 25-of-52 (.481) overall, 7-of-16 (.438) from three and 22-for-29 (.759) from the line.
A jumper from Will Hornseth with 13 minutes to play stretched UNI’s six-point halftime lead to a dozen before MSU responded with a 7-0 run. Martin scored up close, King hit a three and Michael Ose-Bonsu scored off the glass to make it 56-51.
Coming out of the under-eight timeout, Martin’s three made it 61-57. He would make it a four-point game again at the 5:53 mark, but the Bears could not close the gap down the stretch with 8-of-10 makes at the line in the last five minutes.
In the opening half, UNI shot an even 50 percent from the field, but the Bears played within 37-31 of the home club thanks in part to 11 points from Zaxton King, including three triples.
The Panthers led by as many as seven before a Logan Epes 3-pointer made it 33-29 with 2:42 to play before the intermission. UNI then ended the half on a 4-2 run, including Tytan Anderson’s only bucket of the stanza.
The Bears return to Great Southern Bank Arena on Saturday, Jan. 25 to play Drake (3 p.m.) on Hall of Fame weekend.
The Hall of Fame Saturday game will feature an appearance from Chiefs’ mascot KC Wolfe in addition to Stripe Out and Kids Day promotions.
