CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) – Jake Koch had 16 points and eight rebounds as Northern Iowa defeated North Dakota 72-47 Saturday.  Koch was 10 for 10 from the free-throw line and also had four assists for the Panthers (3-0). Chip Rank added 13 points and Matt Bohannon had 11. Aaron Anderson led North Dakota (1-2) with 12 points.

Northern Iowa never trailed, jumping out to 36-19 lead with 3:22 left in the first half. The Fighting Sioux answered with six straight points before the break and opened the second half on a 7-2 run to pull within 38-32. That was as close as North Dakota got as the Panthers scored the next eight points and eventually built a 25-point lead.   Northern Iowa hit its first 16 free throws and finished 17 for 20 at the line.