Northern Iowa beats Missouri State 71-56

Feb 24, 2018, 04:29 pm

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Klint Carlson scored 16 points and Northern Iowa beat Missouri State 71-56 on Saturday.

UNI, ranked seventh in the nation in scoring defense at 63.1 points per game, held Missouri State to 36.5 percent shooting.

Hunter Rhodes added 13 points and Wyatt Lohaus 11 for Northern Iowa (15-15, 7-11 Missouri Valley Conference). Carlson and Rhodes were among four UNI seniors honored before the game. The seniors, who have won 99 games, have been a part of two NCAA Tournament teams and a pair of MVC tournament championships.

UNI will be a higher seed at the MVC tournament and thus play its first opening-round game since 2003.

Jarred Dixon led Missouri State (17-14, 7-11), the preseason MVC favorite, with 14 points and Jarrid Rhodes and Alize Johnson each scored 11. Obediah Church grabbed 13 of Missouri State's 30 rebounds. The Bears have lost nine of their last 11 games.