Panthers shoot 67% from the field to top the Phoenix at home. UNI visits No. 5 Michigan State on Friday.

UNI Athletic Communications

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The UNI men’s basketball team shot 67% from the field and recorded assists on 21 of its 33 made baskets on Tuesday night as it defeated the Green Bay Phoenix by a score of 89-76 inside the McLeod Center in non-conference action.

Northern Iowa’s victory, the 50th all-time in the head coaching career of head coach Kyle Green, saw the Panthers struggle to match Green Bay’s size in the rebounding battle, but saw the purple and gold score 20 points off 14 Phoenix turnovers, matching Green Bay in paint scoring, 46-46, and shoot a season-high 53% from beyond the arc (10-for-19).

HOW IT HAPPENED

UNI jumped out to a fast lead with Carson Vis dropping a pair of early three-point baskets in a half where the Panthers would shoot seven-for-11 from beyond the arc at a 63% clip. Northern Iowa’s defensive pressure stifled the Phoenix throughout the opening half as the Panthers defended the three-point arc well and strung together multiple scoring runs, including runs of six, seven and eight consecutive points to take a 46-30 lead into halftime. Vis led the charge with 13 first half points, with Isaiah Johnson-Arigu scoring 12 and Greyson Uelmen ten points.

UNI continued its strong offensive play despite Green Bay’s physical pursuit in the rebounding battle, shooting at a 62% clip. Levi Valdo and Uelmen led the way for the Panthers in the final 20 minutes as Valdo shot five-for-six from the floor, and Uelmen scored 17 points in the period, including a seven-for-eight mark at the free throw line. Solid ball security and pressuring defense helped Northern Iowa record four steals and force eight Green Bay turnovers in the period, and withstand a late push by the Phoenix for the 13-point victory.

Uelmen led the night with a game-high 27 points and four assists, while Vis notched 17 points with new career-high marks for made field goals (7), assists (5) and steals (4). Valdo tallied a career-best 15 points in the win, as Johnson-Arigu notched 14 points and a career-high tying three assists. Tate McCubbin meanwhile finished with ten points, five rebounds and five assists.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• UNI improves to 14-18 all-time against Green Bay with its sixth consecutive win in the series. Tuesday marked the first time the Panthers and Phoenix met on the court since the 2004-05 season.
• Head coach Kyle Green picked up his 50th career victory as a head coach on Tuesday. Green previously served as head coach at Division II Western Colorado (10 wins), Division II Lewis (23 wins) and Division III Wisconsin-Eau Claire (15 wins) before taking over at UNI in April.
• Northern Iowa prevailed despite being outrebounded by a 30-21 margin by Green Bay, including 17-4 in offensive rebounds.
• Carson Vis made his first career start on Tuesday night in his 34th career game. The former Western Michigan Bronco played the first 32 games of his career at WMU last season.
• Greyson Uelmen posted his first game as a Panther with 20+ points, the 11th time doing so in his career with all previous 20+ point games coming last season at North Dakota. Uelmen has also scored in double figures in all three games this year (32 times overall in his career).

UP NEXT

The Panthers return to action on Friday, Nov. 13 when they visit No. 5 Michigan State in East Lansing. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT at the Breslin Center with live coverage available on ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network (93.5 The Mix / Varsity Network app).