Leading 49-36 with about six minutes remaining the Iowa Hawkeyes were in control against UNI but it was all Panthers from there. U-N-Iclosed the game with a 21-6 run for a stunning 57-55 win, the Panthers first victory in Iowa City.

U-N-I coach Ben Jacobson says it feels good and he says had it been a different game it would have meant a lot as well because of the way his team hung in. Jacobson says since the game was against Iowa, though, it means a little bit more.

Jacobson says it was a thrilling game to be a part of, a “great basketball game” and he says he would have said the same thing had his team not won, because both teams played so hard.

The loss drops the Hawkeyes to 4-5 and the seat is even hotter for coach Steve Alford. Alford says, “The tougher basketball team won tonight.” He says they got outcoached, outplayed and outtoughed in the last minute of the game. Alford says they didn’t have the leadership on the floor to get the shot they wanted and they couldn’t get stops.

The loss also snapped Iowa’s 21 game home court winning streak, the third longest in the nation. Alford says that streak is over and they have to start working on another streak. Alford says this team has to learn some valuable lessons and start a streak of their own.