“Heartbreak on the Court: Men’s Basketball Falls Short Against UNI”

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Four players from Northern Iowa achieved double figures on Tuesday as the Panthers concluded the game with a 73-56 triumph over the University of Evansville men’s basketball squad at the McLeod Center.

Box Score

UE was spearheaded by Tayshawn Comer’s 18 points. He contributed 7 rebounds and 4 steals. Cam Haffner totaled 13 points while guiding the Purple Aces with 8 rebounds. Tytan Anderson netted 15 points for UNI while Ben Schweiger contributed a double-double, finishing with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
 
“We missed numerous simple shots near the basket and committed several unwise fouls,” UE head coach David Ragland stated. “Returning home, getting onto a regular schedule, and having the opportunity to refine aspects in practice will be beneficial for us.”
 
Josh Hughes initiated the scoring for the Aces with an early 2-0 advantage as both offenses faced challenges in the opening phases. After a 1-for-6 start from the field, UNI maintained a 5-3 lead six minutes in. Evansville began 1-for-7 with three turnovers until Tayshawn Comer executed a 3-point play, reclaiming the lead for UE at 7-5.
 
Comer quickly struck once more on the next Aces possession. After a 3-point score by UNI, Comer hit from beyond the arc to give Evansville the lead back at 10-8 within the 13-minute mark. For the following 10 minutes, Northern Iowa surged ahead, outscoring UE 19-2 to establish a 27-12 lead. During this time, the offense for UE struggled, going 1-for-13 from the field with three turnovers.
 
Connor Turnbull concluded the slump with a basket as the Aces chipped away at the deficit during the final minutes, trailing by 14 at halftime – 32-18. Evansville shot 22.2% in the first half and committed eight turnovers.
 
It was Turnbull who initiated the second-half scoring, converting Tanner Cuff’s feed into a dunk, but the Panthers quickly regained their momentum, establishing their largest lead of 19 points. A UNI free throw set a 43-24 cushion with under 15 minutes left. Evansville persisted as Cam Haffner’s three-pointer two minutes later narrowed the margin to 14 points at 45-31.
 
With 7:01 remaining, Comer’s field goal brought the Aces closer at 53-40. The momentum swiftly shifted back in UNI’s favor as they answered with a 9-1 run, extending their lead to a peak of 21 points. Their advantage swelled to 23 before Evansville managed to finish with a score of 73-56. UNI shot 40.7%, while limiting the Aces to 36.4%. After netting 18 in the first half, UE surged with 38 points in the second half, shooting 50% in the last 20 minutes.
 
After the road trip, UE returns home for the next two games, starting Saturday with a 1 p.m. matchup against Belmont at the Ford Center.