INDIANA STATE OUTLASTS UNI, 85-84, IN DOUBLE-OVERTIME

Despite a career-high 28 points from sophomore guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe, the University of Northern Iowa men’s basketball team fell, 85-84, to Indiana State in double-overtime this afternoon in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both schools. It was the first double-overtime game in the three-year history of the McLeod Center.

Ahelegbe was joined in double-figure scoring by junior guard Ali Farokhmanesh, who tied his career-best with 20 points, all of which came after halftime. Junior forward Adam Koch had 11 points and senior guard Travis Brown chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds off the bench. Indiana State also had four players in double-figures, led by guard Harry Marshall’s 23 points.

UNI got out of the gates quickly to start the game, as Koch drained a three-pointer and also made a pair of free throws as the Panthers jumped to a 7-2 lead four minutes in. Indiana State scored five straight to pull even at seven, and took a 12-9 lead after Carl Richard hit a three.

Ahelegbe hit a pull-up 15 foot jumper to get UNI within 14-13, before Indiana State went on a 9-0 run to extend its lead to 23-13 with 8:44 left in the first half. Following a UNI timeout, Lucas O’Rear converted a conventional three-point play, and Koch had a layup to pull the Panthers within 23-18 with 7:31 on the clock.

The Panthers had two chances to get closer right after that, but missed two straight front ends of one-and-one free throw opportunities. ISU’s Jay Tunnell then hit back-to-back three-pointers, starting ISU on a 16-0 run over the next four minutes, which saw the Sycamores push their lead to its largest point, 39-18, with just over a minute remaining before halftime. Jordan Eglseder scored on a put-back, and Ahelegbe made two foul shots and a jumper just before the buzzer to pull UNI within 41-24 at the break. Indiana State shot a sizzling 65 percent from the field (16-for-25) in the first 20 minutes, including 7-of-12 on three-pointers. UNI made just 33 percent of its shots (7-for-21) and was 1-for-6 from behind the arc in the opening half.

UNI got three-pointers from Ahelegbe and Farokhmanesh early in the second half, while forcing ISU to miss its first six shots from the floor, to get within nine, 43-34, with less than six minutes off the clock.

The Sycamores responded by extending their lead back to 13 points, 51-38, after a pair of free throws, but Ahelegbe and Farokhmanesh made consecutive layups to get UNI back within nine, 51-42.

With ISU in front 54-42 with 7:12 left in the second half, UNI made a huge surge. Johnny Moran nailed a three from the left wing to get the Panthers started, and Farokhmanesh hit a bomb from the right wing to conclude a 12-2 run, getting UNI within 56-54 with just over four minutes remaining.

ISU regained the momentum, as Marshall scored on two straight trips down to push the Sycamores’ lead to 61-54 with two minutes left in regulation. Farokhmanesh then drained a deep three, and after forcing an ISU turnover, Brown made a layup to pull UNI within 61-59. ISU scored the next time down, but Moran drained another three to get the Panthers within 63-62 with 25 seconds left.

UNI forced another turnover, but Moran was called for an offensive foul with 15 seconds to go as he went in for a layup. The Panthers fouled Marshall, who made both free throws to push ISU’s lead to 65-62. But UNI found Brown at the top of the key, and he drained a trey with one second left to force overtime. UNI shot 58 percent from the floor in the second half (14-for-24) and was 7-for-10 from three-point range, while ISU made 40 percent of its shots (8-for-20) and was 0-for-6 from behind the arc.

Tunnell hit a three-pointer to start the first overtime, and ISU held a slight lead throughout most of the first extra session. UNI got within 70-68 after Brown hit one of two free throws with just over two minutes left, and ISU’s Rashad Reed hit both of his foul shots to give the Sycamores a 72-68 edge with 1:19 left.

Farokhmanesh hit his fourth three-pointer of the game to get UNI within one, and after Marshall made one of two free throws with 32 seconds left, Ahelegbe drove the lane and tied the game at 73 with 19 seconds on the clock. UNI forced a Marshall miss as the horn expired and the game went to its second overtime. Ahelegbe scored on two straight layups to open the second extra period and push UNI to 77-73 lead. Marshall then made one of two free throws, but ISU grabbed the offensive rebound on his miss, and Carter was able to drain a three to tie the game at 77. Ahelegbe was fouled and made both shots to give UNI a 79-77 advantage, but the next time down, Carter drained a three and was fouled, making the free throw, to put ISU in front 81-79 with just under a minute to go.

Brown tied the game at 81 by making both free throws after he was fouled driving to the basket. Marshall was then fouled on the other end with 17 seconds left, and he, too, made both free throws to give the Sycamores an 83-81 lead. Ahelegbe got into the lane the next time down, but his shot would not go down. ISU’s Reed grabbed the rebound, was fouled, and made both free throws to with six seconds left to seal the win.

UNI shot 43 percent from the floor for the game, including connecting on a season-high 10 three-pointers. Indiana State made 49 percent of its shots and also drained 10 threes.

With the victory, Indiana State improved to 3-9 overall, 1-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while UNI fell to 6-6, 0-1. The Panthers travel to face Southern Illinois on Wed., Dec. 31, with tipoff from SIU Arena set for 7:05 pm.