Panther Men’s Basketball Tops Upper Iowa in Exhibition
Cedar Falls, Iowa — Six UNI Panthers scored in double figures Saturday night as the team defeated the Upper Iowa Peacocks 96–67 in a preseason exhibition at the McLeod Center. The Panthers opened their regular season this Thursday against Cal State Northridge.
Game Summary
Northern Iowa held a narrow advantage at halftime before exploding offensively in the second half, adding 60 points while shooting 73.3% from the field. The Panthers also commanded the paint, outscoring the Peacocks 46–22 inside.
How It Happened
UNI shot 46.2% in the first half, which included 13 lead changes. The Panthers connected on five three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes — two each from Trey Campbell and Kyle Pock — with Leon Bond III contributing nine points and both Campbell and Tristan Smith adding eight.
Geon Hutchins put the Panthers ahead by one point on a last-second layup following a missed basket by Campbell, securing a 36–35 halftime lead.
In the second half, UNI’s offense ignited with a 16–0 run during the opening four and a half minutes, breaking the game open for good.
Next Up
UNI looks to carry its momentum into the regular season opener on Thursday against Cal State Northridge.
Author’s summary: UNI crushed Upper Iowa with six double-digit scorers and a dominant second half, previewing a strong start to their 2025 season.