CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Senior David Holston (Pontiac, MI/Avondale HS) (Pontiac, Mich.) posted a game-high 25 points and four assists, but Chicago State (2-2) fell to host Northern Iowa (3-1), 81-70, Tuesday night at UNI's McLeod Center in the second round of the 2008 Chicago Invitational Challenge.
Senior Mike Wilson (New York, NY/Mt. San Jacinto CC) (New York, N.Y.) drained a pair of three-pointers as the visitors posted an early 8-2 lead in the first three minutes of the game, but UNI scored nine of the next 12 points in over four minutes to tie the game at 11-all at the 13:55 mark. After senior John Cantrell (Pontiac, MI/Northern HS) (Pontiac, Mich.) nailed a pair of free throws giving Chicago State a 13-11 advantage at 12:47, the Panthers went on an 8-0 run that lasted four minutes to claim a 19-13 leading margin with 8:45 remaining in the half on a layup from freshman Johnny Moran. The Cougars would stay close as a pair of Holston free throws later sliced the home team's advantage to 22-19 at 6:33. UNI then tallied a 22-9 scoring drive over a span of nearly five minutes to increase its lead to 43-28 at the 34 second mark on two free throws from sophomore Lucas O'Rear. Holston connected on a three-pointer with 19 seconds left to bring CSU within 12 at 43-31 entering halftime.
The Cougars started off the second half with a quick 6-1 scoring drive in a three-minute span to pull within 44-37 after Holston nailed three free throws at the 17:57 mark. UNI then tallied 9-2 run which brought its leading margin back to double digits at 53-39 at 14:09 thanks to a layup from junior Adam Koch. Holston knocked down three triples as part of a 9-0 run that brought CSU within five at 53-48 with 12:21 left in the game, but the Panthers recorded a 25-9 run of their own in seven minutes to post their biggest lead of the contest at 78-57 on a Koch layup at the five-minute mark. The visitors posted an 11-2 run in the final minutes to provide the final margin with sophomore Carl Montgomery (Chicago, IL/Shepard) (Palos Heights, Ill.) scoring six points.
Cantrell added 14 points and six rebounds for CSU, while Montgomery posted 10 points, six caroms and two blocked shots. Senior Tawrence Walton (Chicago, IL/Kennedy-King College) (Chicago, Ill.) contributed seven points and five boards, and Wilson finished with six points.
Koch paced Northern Iowa with a double-double of 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Moran recorded 15 points and senior Travis Brown tallied 14 points. O'Rear nearly tallied a double-double as he posted 10 boards and nine points to go along with three assists for the Panthers.
Chicago State heads north to Hoffman Estates, Ill., for the remainder of the Chicago Invitational Challenge, beginning Friday afternoon against Bethune-Cookman. The start time for the game at the Sears Centre is set for 2:30 p.m.
~ CSU ~
