CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – An 18-0 run in the first half allowed the UNI men's basketball team to cruise past visiting Drake, 79-60, Sunday afternoon at the McLeod Center.
 
The Panthers' held Drake scoreless for nearly six minutes during that span that became part of a larger 33-6 run that allowed UNI to take a 45-25 lead into halftime. Drake (5-13, 3-3 MVC) shot just 8-of-27 in the half while UNI (6-11, 1-5 MVC) converted on 63 percent of its attempts, including seven three-pointers, in the period with Jeremy Morgan and Jordan Ashton each scoring 13 points.
 
"They threw a pretty good curveball at us in that first half, give credit to [UNI coach Ben] Jacobson," said Drake head coach Jeff Rutter. "They trapped in the first half and it was effective. It caused turnovers and allowed shot blockers to be more effective and impact the game. It had us out of rhythm. It's a puzzle and they had not shown that throughout the year, but we needed to do a better job of getting to spot, making a pass and look to score."
 
UNI was led by a season-high 21 points from Bennett Koch on perfect 8-of-8 shooting while Morgan added 21 points with the Panthers shooting a season-high 56.9 percent in the win.
 
Reed Timmer (New Berlin, Wis.) led Drake with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting while De'Antae McMurray (Alton, Ill.) was 4-of-7 from three-point range for 13 points. Ore Arogundade (Chicago, Ill.) scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half and was 6-of-7 from the field in the second half but could not rally the Bulldogs from their early deficit. Arogundade also had four of the team's nine assists.
 
Drake opened the game early with back-to-back three-pointers from McMurray to jump out to a 7-4 lead, but that would hold that lead just a little more than a minute before UNI countered with its 18-0 run.
 
The Bulldogs, who have won four of their last seven games and four-straight at home, return to the Knapp Center Wednesday, Jan. 18, to host SIU at 7 p.m.