UNI beats UIC for MVC championship and will go dancing for 1st time since 2016

University of Northern Iowa Panthers guard Geon Hutchins (2) kisses the MVC Tournament trophy after a 84-69 win over the UIC Flames at Enterprise Center. (Photo/Ron Johnson-Imagn Images)

Des Moines Register

ST. LOUIS — Northern Iowa basketball won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament on Sunday to qualify for March Madness.

The 6-seed Panther men defeated 5-seed Illinois-Chicago 84-69 at Enterprise Center in St. Louis to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

UNI (23-12) became the first team in conference history to win four games in four days to clinch the MVC Tournament, beating Evansville, Illinois State, Bradley and UIC. The Panthers are the lowest-seeded team ever to win the MVC Tournament.

Trey Campbell scored 23 points to lead UNI and was named tournament MVP. Ben Schwieger added 18.

Long-distance shooting sent the Panthers to the Big Dance. UNI made 12 of its 23 attempts from 3-point range.

This is the Panthers’ first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 10 years. UNI played in March Madness in back-to-back years in 2015 and 2016.

*University of Northern Iowa Panthers head coach Ben Jacobson cuts down a net after his team’s 84-69 win over the UIC Flames at Enterprise Center. (Photo/Ron Johnson-Imagn Images*

UNI will now wait till Selection Sunday on March 15 to find out its March Madness site and opponent.

Northern Iowa Panthers forward Tristan Smith (14) pulls down a eb bound in front of UIC Flames guard Rashund Washington Jr. (5) during the first half at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: (Photo/Ron Johnson-Imagn Images)

MVC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Trey Campbell (UNI) [Doug Elgin Most Outstanding Player]
Leon Bond III (UNI)
Elijah Crawford (UIC)
Rashund Washington (UIC)
Jalen Quinn (Drake)

UNI ADDITIONAL NOTES

UNI improves to 17-12 all-time against UIC after splitting its two regular season matchups. Sunday was the first time the Panthers played the Flames in postseason action since the 1989 Mid-Continent Conference Tournament.
Northern Iowa has now won six MVC Tournament championships (2004, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2026), the most among active MVC schools. UNI now holds a 6-2 record in the Arch Madness title game and 5-1 mark under head coach Ben Jacobson.
The Panthers earn their ninth NCAA Division I Tournament berth with Sunday’s win (1990, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2026) and 21st national postseason appearance in school history after making three Division II Tournament appearances, three NIT berths, two CIT berths and four NAIA appearances.
Head coach Ben Jacobson extended his own record with his 24th MVC Tournament victory on Sunday after passing former Creighton coach Dana Altman for the most in the 50-year history of the tournament on Friday in the quarterfinals.
Sunday’s title game matchup tied the lowest combined seeds in MVC Tournament championship game history after sixth-seeded UNI and fifth-seeded Bradley previously set the mark in 2019.
Sunday marked the first time a team that opened the tournament playing in the opening round on Thursday won Arch Madness. The 2019-20 Valparaiso Beacons are the only other team to have made the title game. UNI is also now the lowest seed to ever win Arch Madness, besting the 2018-19 fifth-seeded Bradley Braves.
Trey Campbell joins Cam Johnson (1994), Ben Jacobson (2004), Kwadzo Ahelegbe (2010), Seth Tuttle (2015) and Wes Washpun (2016) as the sixth player in team history to be named MVC Tournament MVP.
UNI improves to 102-13 (.886) when scoring 80+ points under Ben Jacobson. The Panthers have won 36 of their last 42 games when surpassing 80 points, including 20 of their last 21.
Northern Iowa is now 18-1 in games when leading at halftime this year.
UNI trailed for a total of 34 seconds of game time in this year’s MVC Tournament.
UNI’s 67.9% shooting in the first half was an MVC Tournament title game record for a first half.
UNI has made at least one three-pointer in 182 consecutive games, a streak dating back to the 2020-21 season.
Trey Campbell started his 131st career game on Sunday, extending his streak to lead all active MVC players. Campbell has also started 99 consecutive contests.
Campbell also recorded his 11th career 20+ point game and fifth such game of the year.
Ben Schwieger recorded his 20th game of the season scoring in double figures.
Will Hornseth recorded his 14th game with ten or more points in his last 16 outings.

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UNI beats UIC for MVC championship and will go dancing for 1st time since 2016

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