UNI Edges Evansville For Third-Straight Win [Gallery]

In terms of wins, the UNI Panthers are starting to resemble the team that fans saw in November when they won six of their first seven games.

After struggling for nearly two months to win back-to-back games, UNI recorded its third consecutive victory with a 57-54 triumph over Evansville at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls Wednesday night (Feb. 3, 2016).

The Panthers (13-11 overall, 5-6 MVC) led for nearly 30 minutes in the game but had to rally in the final minute to secure the win. Evansville (18-6 overall, 7-4 MVC) overcame an eight-point halftime deficit and led by one with under a minute to play.

UNI senior Wes Washpun scored the go-ahead bucket with :27 left on a left-handed layup, then junior teammate Jeremy Morgan blocked Jaylon Brown's jumper in the lane with :03 left to put the Panthers in position for the win.

Morgan went to the line and drained a pair of free throws with :01.7 left, giving UNI a three-point cushion. Evansville's D.J. Balentine missed a half-court shot at the buzzer that would have sent the game into overtime.

Balentine was held to a season-low nine points having come into the contest averaging a league-best 21.2 points per game. He was limited to 4-of-15 shooting from the floor and did not have a free throw attempt.

It marked the first time this season that Balentine did not attempt a free throw in a game.

Washpun led the Panthers with 14 points, which included 6-of-7 at the free throw line. He added a team-best four assists, four rebounds, two blocks and two assists.

Matt Bohannon added 13 points for UNI, including 3-of-5 from three-point land. Morgan tossed in 12 points with four rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

Evansville was led by Egidijus Mockevisius, who tallied 14 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks and two steals.

UP NEXT: UNI travels to Des Moines to battle in-state rival Drake at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The game will be broadcast live on the CBS Sports Network from the Knapp Center.