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MVC basketball: AJ Green's huge second half lifts Northern Iowa past Drake

(Photo: Courtesy of UNI Athletics)

CEDAR FALLS, Ia. — Ask around and you won’t get a concrete answer on the “r” word when it comes to these in-state foes. There are certainly elements — geographical proximity, recruiting overlap and now, comparable basketball products — but there’s still hesitancy to call Drake and Northern Iowa a true rivalry.

If it isn’t, Saturday was a solid step toward it becoming one.

Inside a sold-out McLeod Center — the first time it’s been at capacity in more than four years — Iowa’s two Missouri Valley Conference squads put on a fantastic show.