Northern Iowa Panthers captured their sixth Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship with a dominant 84-69 victory over the UIC Flames in the title game on Sunday, March 8, 2026. Played in front of 6,750 fans during Session 5, the win marked a historic run for the No. 6 seed UNI, who became the first sixth seed to claim the MVC crown and the first team to win four games en route to the title.
UNI erupted out of the gate, racing to a 9-2 lead and forcing an early UIC timeout. The Panthers’ offense was unstoppable in the first half, shooting a blistering 67.9% (19-of-28) from the field, including 7 three-pointers, to set an MVC title game record with 48 points before the break. They dished out 15 assists on those 19 makes, showcasing crisp ball movement. Senior guard Trey Campbell led the charge with his hot shooting, while graduate forward Tristan Smith orchestrated the attack with a season-high six assists in the half alone.
UIC struggled to keep pace early but responded with spurts, cutting the gap to 30-23 late in the half. However, UNI closed strong with five more threes in the final 10 minutes, taking a commanding 48-34 lead into halftime.
The second half started slower for both teams, with UNI opening 1-of-5 and UIC 3-of-8, allowing the Flames to claw back to within three at 52-49 around the 14:15 mark—the closest since the early going. But the Panthers answered decisively with an 8-0 run fueled by back-to-back threes, then extended it to a 13-2 surge (including a Smith layup) for a 69-56 advantage.
UIC fought back once more, trimming the deficit to six at 71-65, but a 3:52 scoring drought doomed their comeback hopes. UNI closed with a 13-2 run to push the lead to a game-high 17 points, sealing the victory at 84-69.
Trey Campbell earned Doug Elgin Award honors as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, finishing with a team-high 23 points, including a season- and tournament-best six three-pointers (second-most in MVC title game history). He added 15 of his points in the second half. Ben Schwieger was efficient with 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting, plus four rebounds and four assists. Tristan Smith posted nine points, a game-high eight rebounds, and a career-high seven assists. Leon Bond III and Will Hornseth each added 10 points in the balanced attack. UNI set season highs with 63.3% field goal shooting and 25 assists, while tying the MVC title game record with 12 three-pointers.
For UIC, sophomore guard Elijah Crawford led all scorers with a career-high 28 points on 13 field goals (third-most in title game history) despite a staggering 29 attempts. He added five assists. Ahmad Henderson II scored 13 points (his 26th double-figure game), and Jayce Nathaniel and Rashund Washington Jr. each contributed 10. The Flames were hampered by a season-low 22 rebounds and no blocks for the first time all year.
This championship improves UNI to 23-12 overall—the program’s best record since 2019-20—and earns them their ninth NCAA Tournament berth (first since 2016). Head coach Ben Jacobson moves to 5-1 in MVC title games.
The Panthers’ sharpshooting and record-setting performance in the first half set the tone for a memorable championship run, solidifying their place among the MVC’s elite tournament winners.
