Recap: U-N-L-V vs. Northern Iowa
Sports Network | March 19, 2010
Oklahoma City, OK (Sports Network) - Ali Farokhmanesh hit a deep three from the left side with 4.9 seconds to play in regulation, and Northern Iowa came away with a 69-66 victory over UNLV in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Farokhmanesh finished 5-of-9 from beyond the arc for a game-high 17 points. Kwadzo Ahelegbe scored 13 points and dished out four assists for the Missouri Valley Conference champion Panthers (29-4), who are seeded ninth in the Midwest Region.
Adam Koch, the MVC Player of the Year, had 11 points, while Jordan Eglseder added nine and 10 rebounds in Northern Iowa's second tourney win in school history and first since 1990.
The Panthers will next face No.1 overall seed Kansas in the second round on Saturday.
Matt Shaw scored 14 points, while Oscar Bellfield and Tre'Von Willis each logged 13 points and five assists for the eighth-seeded Rebels (25-9).
"Really good game. Obviously, we don't like the result. I thought guys on both teams really battled," said UNLV head coach Lon Kruger.
Ahelegbe converted a layup with just over two minutes to play in the second half for a 66-63 Northern Iowa lead. Bellfield knocked down a trey to tie the game with 37 seconds remaining before Farokhmanesh countered at the other end of the court, taking a feed from Johnny Moran and drilling the game-winning shot.
"I had no idea that shot was coming to me," Farokhmanesh said. "If it was your shot, you're going the take it. I wasn't planned or anything. I think we just went with it, and it worked out."
UNLV led 20-12 midway through the first half, but consecutive threes by Marc Sonnen and Farokhmanesh gave the Panthers a 26-24 lead. UNLV settled for a 36-35 halftime lead after Willis was good from long distance.
The teams continued to trade points in the second half, and Koch completed a three-point play at the foul line to stretch Northern Iowa's advantage to nine at 58-49 with 7:22 left.
UNLV responded with a 10-2 surge to shrink its deficit to 60-59 and set up the wild finish.
Sonnen scored eight points...Chace Stanback had 11 points and six rebounds for the Rebels...Northern Iowa made 20-of-23 free throws, while UNLV finished 7- for-12 at the line...The game featured 11 lead changes and eight ties...The Panthers improved to 2-5 all-time in the NCAA Tournament...UNLV fell to 13-3 in the first round of this event.
