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Composite Calendar
Robbins vs. UNI
Dylan Heuer
70
Winner UNI UNI 25-5,14-4 MVC
43
Drake DRA 18-13,8-10 MVC
Winner
UNI UNI
25-5,14-4 MVC
70
Final
43
Drake DRA
18-13,8-10 MVC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UNI UNI 30 40 70
Drake DRA 18 25 43

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Drake Athletic Communications

UNI Pushes Past Men’s Basketball In Regular-Season Finale, 70-43

Bulldogs travel to St. Louis for next week's MVC Tournament

The Drake University men's basketball team erased much of an early deficit but could not overcome a big second-half UNI run and lost to the Missouri Valley Conference champions 70-43 Saturday in the regular-season finale for both teams.
   
A sellout Knapp Center crowd of 7,152 on Senior Day saw Drake's Roman Penn score 17 points in a solid effort, but the Bulldogs struggled offensively as a team most of the way and could not overcome UNI balance. Drake's 43 points on 30 percent shooting were a season-low.

"I thought Northern Iowa did some good things defensively and made some nice adjustments," said Drake head coach Darian DeVries. "They made things tough for us and we weren't able to get anything going and get in any rhythm."
   
With the victory, Northern Iowa (25-5, 14-4 MVC) clinched the conference title outright, its first since 2010, and will be the No. 1 seed in the MVC Tournament in St. Louis starting next Thursday night. Drake (18-13, 8-10) lost at home for only the second time in the last 20 games and will most likely be the No. 8 seed, playing at 6 p.m. on Thursday, pending the release of the final NCAA NET rankings.

"Today was not reflective of who we are as a team, the timing of it wasn't great," DeVries said. "Now we have to get ready to go play in the postseason and this group has been great all year. I have no doubt we'll go down there, give it all we got and try to stay as long as possible."
   
Drake stayed with the Panthers early and trailed just 18-15 when Penn connected on a jumper with 6:57 left in the opening half. But the Panthers closed the half with a 12-3 run to take a 30-18 lead into the break.
   
After going 8-for-26 from the field in the opening half, Drake found some rhythm and drew to 33-27 when Antonio Pilipovic, playing his final regular-season game at home, fed Garrett Sturtz for a basket with 15:33 remaining.
   
But the Panthers answered in a big way. Isaiah Brown drained a 3-pointer from the left-wing less than 30 seconds later, igniting an 18-6 burst that put UNI back in control. Freshman Noah Carter contributed three 3-pointers and a dunk to that run, which stretched the lead to 51-33.

"Carter came in and hit three 3s and that's where the separation really got away from us in the second half," DeVries said.
   
Drake clawed back to 51-38 on a Penn jumper but got no closer and fell to 14-2 at home this season.
   
Liam Robbins scored eight points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Bulldogs, falling just short of his seventh double-double of the season. Noah Thomas had six points, while Penn added to his stat line with seven rebounds, one assist and a steal.
   
Pilipovic, who finished with one rebound and an assist, was honored before the game along with fellow seniors Anthony Murphy, Brady Ernst and Samm Jones.
   
Austin Phyfe led Northern Iowa with 17 points and 18 rebounds, matching his season high. Brown and AJ Green each scored 15 points and Carter finished with 11.
 
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