DES MOINES, IOWA - No. 18 ranked Northern Iowa went on an 15-3 scoring spree to close out the game rallying to post a 57-48 Missouri Valley Conference victory against Drake Wednesday before a sellout crowd of 7,152 fans in the Drake Knapp Center.

The Panthers nailed three three-point baskets during the scoring spurt, including back-to-back treys by guard Ali Farokhmanesh, to overcome a 45-42 deficit.

Drake held Northern Iowa to 35.7 percent shooting from the floor in the second half but seven of the Panthers' 10 baskets were beyond the three-point arc.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs, who lead the MVC in three-point baskets, hit nine treys including three apiece from guards Frank Wiseler and Ryan Wedel.

Wedel and Josh Young led Drake with 11 points apiece.  Wedel collected eight points in the second half, including two three-point baskets, before suffering an ankle injury that forced him to leave the game with 5:26 remaining.

Drake senior forward Adam Templeton enjoyed his sixth double-figure rebounding game of the season, grabbing a game-high 10 boards.

Two free throws by reserve forward Lucas O'Rear gave the Panthers a 36-30 lead but Drake answered with seven straight points to grab a 37-36 edge.

Seth VanDeest  stuffed Northern Iowa 7-footer Jordan Eglseder's layup try with both hands, then hit a turnaround jumper on the other end to bring the Bulldogs within 36-34 with 12:07 left. Wedel followed with a three-point that put the Bulldogs ahead for the first time since the opening minutes.

A three-point basket by Templeton increased Drake's lead to 42-39 with 8:45 left .

Wedel, who failed to score in the previous meeting at Northern Iowa, hit his final three-point basket at the top of the key giving Drake a 45-42 lead with 6:36 left.

A layup by Eglseder pulled Northern Iowa within 45-44 while igniting a 15-0 run. A three-point basket from Adam Koch gave the Panthers a 47-45 lead it never relinquished.

Farokhmanesh's three-point baskets just beat the 30-second shot clock each time.

Koch led the Panthers with 12 points, while Farokhmanesh and guard Johnny Moran each had 10 points.

VanDeest collected two blocked shots while moving into a tie for No. 4 on the Drake single-season blocked shot list at 40.

Northern Iowa outrebounded Drake, 34-21, collecting 22 second-chance points to just two by the Buldogs.