After its best non-conference start in three seasons, Missouri State (9-4) heads into Missouri Valley Conference play against perennial league power Northern Iowa on Wednesday at 8 p.m. (Central) in a regionally-televised game on FOX Sports Midwest.
Series History
The series between the Bears and Panthers dates back to 1983. The two programs have been conference rivals in two different leagues, matching up in the Mid-Continent Conference prior to becoming MVC rivals in 1991-92.
Missouri State leads the all-time series, 41-30, with an 18-16 series lead in games played in Cedar Falls. UNI, however, has won 8 of the last 10 meetings and 13 of 16.
Last season, the clubs split the season series with MSU winning a Jan. 6 matchup at JQH Arena, 59-58, on a last-second layup by
Dequon Miller.
Chris Kendrix also scored 17 points against UNI in a game the Bears owned a 34-27 rebounding edge.
In the rematch in Cedar Falls on Feb. 10, UNI scored an 83-69 decision. MSU knocked down a season-high 11 3-pointers and got 20 points from Kendrix and 15 points from then-freshman
Jarred Dixon in a heated battled at McLoed Center.
MSU won the only previous meeting between the teams in an MVC opener -- a 58-57 decision on Dec. 29, 2010 decided on a last-second jumper by eventual MVC Player of the year Kyle Weems.
Scouting the Panthers
Eleventh-year head coach Ben Jacobson returns two starters and five lettermen from a 23-13 club that finished fourth in the MVC standings a year ago and won the Valley Tournament before an impressive NCAA Tournament run.
UNI is led by Preseason MVC Player of the Year Jeremy Morgan (G, 6-5, Sr.) who is averaging 16.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game with 30 threes and 16 blocks. The Panthers have lost 6 of their last 8 games but are 3-1 at home this season.
The Ten Count
- The Bears are opening their 27th season in the Missouri Valley Conference and are 16-10 all-time in MVC openerswith 6 league-opening victories in the last 7 seasons (4-1 under Paul Lusk).
- Alize Johnson (Jr., Williamsport, Pa.) leads the MVC with 9.2 rebounds per game and is coming off his third MVC Newcomer of the Week honor and All-Tournament honors at the Las Vegas Classic. He led the Bears with 17.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game at the event.
- This will be Paul Lusk's 200th game as a head coach and his 175th game as MSU head coach. Lusk is coming off his 80th win as the Bears' sideline boss which ranks third among all MSU coaches during its Division I era.
- Chris Kendrix (Jr., Willard, Mo.) scored 35 points in two meetings with UNI last year (17.5 ppg) and is averaging 11.0 points per game in four career games against the Panthers.
- The Bears have led at the half in 11 of 13 games (9-2) and are 61-19 under Lusk when taking the lead into the break.
- Since Dec. 10, Obediah Church (So., Springfield, Ill.) has converted 22-of-27 (.815) field goal attempts and is coming off a career-high 16 points against DePaul (Dec. 23) in Las Vegas. He also ranks 16th nationally in blocked shots.
- Ryan Kreklow (So., Columbia, Mo.) averaged 12.5 points per game in Las Vegas with a team-best four 3-pointers against USC on Dec. 22. Kreklow had made a 3-pointer in 16 straight games prior to the DePaul game.
- MSU's bench has outscored its opponents' reserves in all 13 games and holds a 408-154 scoring edge from the pine. The Bears' backups are collectively averaging 31.4 ppg, which is 40.2% of the team's offensive production.
- Newcomer Ronnie Rousseau III (Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio) has scored in double figures in 8 games this season, but has led the team in scoring just twice -- including a 17-point effort against No. 23 USC in Las Vegas.
- UNI ranks 33rd natinally in turnover margin (+3.7) and is 27th nationally in 3-pointers per game (9.7).
