| Missouri State Bears (15-11, 6-7 MVC) vs. UNI Panthers (12-12, 7-6 MVC) |
| Date and Time |
Sunday, Feb. 12, 3:02 p.m. (Central) |
| Location |
JQH Arena (11,000) | Springfield, Mo. |
| Tickets |
UNI Game | Illinois State Game |
| Radio |
KTXR (101.3 FM) (Art Hains, Mike Keltner) | MSU Radio Network | Listen Live |
| Television |
ESPN3 (Tom Ackerman, Danan Hughes) |
| Series |
Missouri State leads 42-30 | Last Meeting: MSU 68, UNI 64 (12/28/16) |
| Live Stats |
Live Stats |
| Game Notes |
Missouri State | UNI | MVC Notebook | MSU Media Guide |
| Follow |
Facebook | Athletics Twitter | Basketball Twitter | Instagram | #MSUBears |
| Promotions |
Salute to America's Heroes | Clif Smart Bobblehead for Students | Salute to Elected Officials |
| Ticket Specials |
Price Cutter Customer Appreciation Zone | $50 Family Four Pack - includes four tickets in JJ, plus $25 concessions voucher | Game Day $15 Lower-Level Tickets in Sections E, J, O, P | Military Appreciation $7 adult tickets with military ID ($5 for children). |
Missouri State looks to improve on its impressive 11-3 home record Sunday afternoon when the Bears entertain Northern Iowa at 3 p.m. on Salute to America's Heroes Day at JQH Arena. UNI has won seven of its last eight Valley games, while the Bears are looking to sweep the season series with the Panthers for the first time since 2002-03..
Enjoy the Game
The Old Missouri Bank Box Office at JQH Arena opens at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Box office purchases are also available by phone at (417) 836-7678. Tickets may also be purchased 24/7 online and printed from home at
MissouriStateBears.com. Military Appreciation discounts (in-person purchases only) require a valid military ID.
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, 42-30, with a 22-12 series lead in games played in Springfield. UNI, however, has won 8 of the last 11 meetings overall and 6 of 8 all-time at JQH Arena.
Earlier this season in Cedar Falls, the Bears got four straight free throws by
Ryan Kreklow in the final 14 seconds to ice a 68-64 road win on Dec. 28. MSU was 10-for-11 at the line for the game and held off a late surge by UNI after the Bears used a 19-0 first-half run to lead by as many as 20.
Dequon Miller finished with 17 points, Kreklow scored 13 and
Alize Johnson added 12 points and 10 boards. UNI was led by 28 points from Jeremy Morgan, while Bennett Koch scored 16..
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 15.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game with 44 threes and 30 blocks. The Panthers have won 7 of their last 8 MVC games.
The Ten Count
- Sunday's game is Salute to America's Heroes Day. Military tickets are just $7. Dollar hot dogs and Cokes for all fans.
- Alize Johnson (Jr., Williamsport, Pa.) continues to lead The Valley with 10.4 rebounds per game. He ranks 9th nationally in double-doubles (14) and 13th in rebounds per game. He has 17 double-figure rebound games this year.
- MSU has matched or out-rebounded 12 of 13 league foes this season. Only Evansville (Feb. 4) has bettered the Bears on the glass during conference play. MSU's 41-34 rebounding edge over WSU on Thursday marked the first time the Bears have out-rebounded the Shockers in 10 meetings and first time at Koch Arena since Feb. 2, 2000.
- Austin Ruder (Jr., Nixa, Mo.) will be playing in his 50th career MVC game. He has scored 367 points and knocked down 82 3-pointers against Valley foes. Ruder has started the last 6 games and has 13 3-pointers in that span (2.2).
- Chris Kendrix (Jr., Willard, Mo.) shared team-high honors with 11 points and 7 rebounds at Wichita State on Thursday while knocking down 2 treys. He is 16 points shy of 700 for his career.
- Obediah Church (So., Springfield, Ill.) blocked 5 shots at Wichita State. He has rejected 4 or more shots six times this season and 10 times for his career. He leads the MVC with 2.15 blocks per game.
- Dequon Miller (Jr., Charleston, W.Va.) has 97 career 3-pointers and would become just the 14th MSU player to reach 100 treys in a career. He shares the team lead (Ruder) with 40 3-pointers this season.
- Johnson has 164 rebounds at JQH Arena this season, crushing the old record (136) set by Jermaine Mallett in 2010.
- UNI is 6-2 all-time at JQH Arena, matching Wichita State for the most opponent wins at The Q. No other visiting teams have more than three wins in the facility, which opened in 2008. The Bears are 101-44 (.697) all-time at JQH Arena.
- The Bears are 59 points from 2,000 for the season, a benchmark the team has reached three times under head coach Paul Lusk. MSU's 74.7 scoring average this season is Missouri State's highest since the 1996-97 season (75.9).
