UNI overcame a slow start to the second half and raced away down the stretch for a 61-48 victory over the Iowa State Cyclones in Ames. Senior guard Jared Josten led the way for the Panthers by scoring 18 of his game high 20 points in the decisive second half.
Josten on the postgame show on the UNI Sports Network, says he knew he had to get a shot sometimes on a late shot clock and a couple of times off the screen he was open to get fouled or get a bucket. The Panthers led by five at the half but went more than seven minutes without scoring to open the second half as the Cyclones built a 38-31 lead.
Josten says they missed some shots early, but knew they had time to grind it out and bring it back. It was UNI’s first win in Hilton Coliseum since 1997. Josten says any road win is huge, especially beating a rival like Iowa State.
Senior forward Eric Coleman also had a big game. He finished with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Coleman says he knew he had to bounce back after a “dismal” performance at South Dakota State. It was the Panther’s third victory over the Cyclones in the last four years. Coleman says that means they’re 3-1 against the Cyclones since he’s been at UNI, and it was big to come from behind and get a win on the road.
Sophomore Wesley Johnson led I-S-U with 18 points. It was his first action of the season after being sidelined with a foot injury. Johnson says it felt good coming back, but he says it hurt a lot as he played, and he will have to fight through it.
In what has become a trend the Cyclones started quickly in each half before getting badly outplayed.
Cyclone coach Greg McDermott says that has to improve as they are not adjusting to the other team’s adjustments. McDermott says his team needs to become tougher. He says they got dominated in the first half, and that was disheartening. The Cyclones are now 2-3. UNI improves to 5-1.