UNI Stays Perfect At Home; Beats Missouri State, 60-46

With 12 games remaining in the regular season, the UNI men's basketball team has already matched its win total from 2013-14.

The Panthers recorded their 16th victory of the season Sunday afternoon (January 18, 2015), beating Missouri State, 60-46, at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls. UNI finished its 2013-14 campaign with a 16-15 overall mark.

Sunday's win was the fifth-straight for the Panthers, ranked 22nd nationally in the coaches poll and 23rd by the Associated Press. UNI (16-2, 5-1 MVC) moved into a tie for second place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings with Indiana State. The Panthers and Sycamores trail league-leading Wichita State by a full game.

Missouri State (8-10, 2-4) proved to be no match for UNI, which led the game for all but 12 seconds. The Panthers built a 32-20 halftime advantage and increased their lead to 21 points, at 60-39, with 4-minutes, 38-second remaining.

Seth Tuttle (Sheffield, Iowa) had another outstanding game for the Panthers. The 6-foot-8 forward recorded his 18th career double-double, scoring a game-high 22 points while grabbing 10 rebounds. Tuttle had 16 points in the first half -- nearly all of them from inside 5 feet.

Two other players scored in double figures for UNI. He was one of three UNI players to tally double-figures. Deon Mitchell (Pflugerville, Texas) tallied 11 points, while Marvin Singleton (Minneapolis, Minn.) chipped in 10.

Austin Ruder led Missouri State with 13 points and Dorrian Williams added 11. The Bears, who dressed only nine players, were playing their second game with suspended Marcus Marshall.

On Wednesday, Missouri State Coach Paul Lusk suspended the team's leading scorer (19.5 points per game) for detrimental conduct. On Friday, the school announced that Marshall will transfer to another school at the end of the spring semester. His departure left the Bears without a starter averaging more than 8.5 points a game.

Sunday's victory was the 12th-straight for UNI at the McLeod Center, dating back to last season. The Panthers are 9-0 at home this year.

UNI will be looking to extend its home-court streak Wednesday night, when Panthers host Indiana State at 7 p.m.