CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Erik Crawford scored seven of his nine points in overtime, and Eric Coleman finished with 19 points to lead Northern Iowa to a 67-63 upset victory over No. 12 Iowa on Tuesday night.
Ben Jacobsen added 16 points for the Panthers (5-1), who won their third straight in the UNI-Dome against a nationally ranked Hawkeyes team and snapped Iowa’s four-game winning streak.
Greg Brunner led the Hawkeyes (7-2) with 26 points. Iowa was ranked No. 11 when it lost to Northern Iowa 78-76 in Cedar Falls in 2001, and was No. 24 when it lost 77-66 two years ago.
With the Panthers trailing by two in overtime, Crawford – who had just two points in regulation – got the ball on the perimeter and made a 3-pointer to put UNI up 62-60 with 50 seconds left.
Brunner followed with a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left to cut the margin to 65-63. After Iowa fouled Crawford on the inbound pass, the senior made both free throws with 12 seconds left to seal the win.
Iowa seemed in command with a little more than three minutes left in regulation. Jeff Horner scored in traffic with a drive in the lane to put the Hawkeyes up 52-47. But UNI answered when Jacobson hit three straight 3-pointers during the next 90 seconds. Held in check most of the night, Jacobson got on track when he hit his first at the 2:55 mark.
Jacobson hit a wide-open shot moments later when Horner slipped, putting the Panthers up 52-51. Horner was injured on the play and spent the rest of the game on the bench with an ice pack on his left knee.
Jacobson made his third 3 with 1:38 left in regulation to give the Panthers a 56-54 lead. Both teams squandered their next possessions before Brunner was fouled and sank both free throws with 41 seconds left.
The Panthers played for the last shot, but Jacobson’s 3-pointer rimmed out, sending the game to overtime.