CEDAR FALLS, Ia. — A solid McLeod Center crowd was suddenly resurrected, having been largely dormant in what was a lackluster first half. A deficit that once was a deep double-digit hole had been trimmed to something much more manageable, and just one more Northern Iowa push could turn a wretched start into a fulfilling finish.
Not quite enough.
The Panthers eventually trimmed a once 24-point deficit down to just two — but UNI never grabbed the lead en route to a 68-64 loss to Missouri State in Wednesday’s Missouri Valley Conference opener.
"It’s hard to play from down eight, down 12, down 15," Panthers coach Ben Jacobson said.