Northern Iowa turned the page on a rocky regular season with the kind of gritty, purposeful performance that defines March basketball, dispatching Evansville 68-59 in the opening round of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
The victory was more than just a step forward for the Panthers — it was a milestone for head coach Ben Jacobson, whose 21st win in the MVC Tournament tied him with former Creighton coach Dana Altman for the most in league history. UNI improved to 20-12 overall, securing its 16th 20-win season in program annals and second consecutive campaign reaching that benchmark. The Panthers now stand 30-27 all-time in the MVC Tournament and remain perfect against Evansville at 5-0.
Senior guard Trey Campbell delivered the kind of signature performance that has defined his career. The 6-foot-5 sharpshooter poured in a game-high 23 points, draining a season-tying five 3-pointers while adding three blocked shots — a new career best. It marked his fifth 20-point outing of the season and his ninth game with at least three triples. With the points, Campbell climbed to No. 13 on UNI’s all-time scoring list (1,241), sits fourth in career 3-pointers made (210), and is tied for fourth in career steals (165).
Sophomore forward Will Hornseth provided a steady two-way presence with 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Graduate forward Tristan Smith anchored the glass, collecting 10 points and a career-high 13 rebounds for his second double-double of the year and 28th of his career.
Evansville’s season ended at 7-25. The Purple Aces fell to 10-32 all-time in the MVC Tournament — including an 0-5 mark against UNI — and were held under 60 points for the 10th time this season.
Senior forward AJ Casey led the Aces with 23 points and 10 rebounds, his third double-double of the year. After being held scoreless through the game’s first 12:35, Casey erupted for 23 points over the final stretch. Senior forward Trent Hundley added 14 points on 4-of-6 3-point shooting, while freshman guard Lief Moeller chipped in 15 (10 in the first half). Sixth-year guard Alex Hemenway grabbed a career-tying six rebounds.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair. UNI opened with a 9-0 run to lead 12-3, but Evansville clawed back. A running jumper by Hemenway tied the score at 29-29, and Casey’s clutch, buzzer-beating 3-pointer gave the Aces a 36-35 halftime advantage. Casey (11 late), Moeller (10) and Hundley (10) accounted for 31 of Evansville’s 36 first-half points. Campbell paced UNI with 11 points (three 3s), while Hornseth controlled the paint with 10 points. The Panthers turned Evansville turnovers into 10 points and held a commanding 16-6 edge in paint scoring.
The second half belonged to Northern Iowa. The Panthers opened on a 6-0 run — capped by a Hornseth putback — to seize a 41-36 lead they would never relinquish. After connecting on 7-of-11 from beyond the arc in the first half (63.6%), Evansville went frigid in the second, hitting just 2-of-14 (14.3%). UNI’s defense suffocated the Aces, limiting them to 28 percent shooting (7-of-25) over the final 20 minutes. Campbell added 12 more points in the half to close the door.
Northern Iowa’s blend of perimeter shooting, interior toughness and second-half defensive resolve proved decisive. The Panthers now turn their attention to a quarterfinal matchup with No. 3 seed Illinois State on Friday at 8:30 p.m. — a chance to build on the momentum and continue their march through Arch Madness.
