CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Illinois State's basketball team came out Wednesday night and stayed right with Northern Iowa for the first eight minutes.
The next 10-plus minutes were pure torture for the struggling Redbirds.
UNI went on a 25-0 run, expanding a 15-14 lead to 40-14 late in the first half. ISU tried to stage a late rally but it was much too late as the Panthers beat the Redbirds, 83-72, before a McLeod Center crowd of 3,762.
Evans busted out of a shooting slump in the second half and scored 21 of his game-high 25 points to lead the Redbirds.