CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Lucas O’Rear and Anthony James each scored 12 points to lead Northern Iowa to a 68-47 victory over SIU-Edwardsville in the Las Vegas Classic on Sunday.
O’Rear was 5 of 7 from the field for the Panthers (7-3), who have won three straight.
Corey Wickware scored 13 points to lead the Cougars (2-11), who have dropped eight of nine, and Nikola Bundalo added 10.
Northern Iowa led 36-23 at halftime. After SIU-Edwardsville cut its deficit to eight with 16:41 to play, the Panthers put together a 17-5 run for a 53-33 lead with 7:28 remaining. Northern Iowa led by at least 13 the rest of the way.
Zeke Schneider scored on a layup for the Cougars to tie the game at 10 early before the Panthers went on a 17-2 run to take the lead for good.
