The U.N.I. Panthers claimed their first Missouri Valley Conference victory with a 65-53 win over Evansville in Cedar Falls. The Panthers were coming off two straight losses.
U.N.I. coach Ben Jacobsen says they seemed a little bit sharper and more competitive. He says it isn’t that they didn’t compete in the other two games, but he says they stepped it up a little more in this game. He says the Panthers tried to push the tempo on offense, and they played with a four guards a lot of the time against the smaller Evansville.
Jacobsen says they can be effective in that type of offense by pushing the ball and getting quick scoring opportunities.
U.N.I. is 1-2 in the Valley and 10-5 overall.
Wichita State broke open a close game down the stretch in an 82-63 win over Drake in Missouri Valley action. Drake coach Mark Phelps on his postgame show on KRNT says the Shockers are terrific in transition and a bear on the boards and that hurt his team.
Phelps says they were within striking distance until about the eight minute mark and they have to get better. Phelps says the game got away from the Bulldogs at the end as they got worn down by a stronger and deeper team.
Drake is 1-2 in the Valley and 6-8 overall.