Tuttle, Buss Lead No. 11 N. Iowa Over Loyola, 58-39

CHICAGO (AP) — Seth Tuttle and Nate Buss each scored 10 points, and No. 11 Northern Iowa won its 14th straight, beating Loyola 58-39 Wednesday night.

The Panthers (25-2, 14-1 Missouri Valley Conference) never trailed and moved within one win of matching the 2009-10 team's school record streak.

They also tied a season low for points allowed while holding Loyola (16-11, 6-9) to its lowest scoring total, and this game was every bit as lopsided as the numbers indicated.

Northern Iowa led by 12 at halftime and broke it open after the Ramblers trimmed it to nine early in the second period.

Tuttle, the Panthers' leading, took just seven shots. But he finished with seven rebounds.

Buss got off to a strong start, scoring 10 in the first half to help Northern Iowa build a 30-18 lead.

Matt Bohannon scored all eight of his points in the second half, and the Panthers earned their seventh straight road win.

Northern Iowa hit nine 3-pointers, including two each by Buss, Bohannon and Paul Jesperson, after burying a season-high 12 in each of the previous two games. The Panthers also outrebounded the Ramblers 32-21.

Loyola shot just 39 percent and no player scored more than six points for the Ramblers, who were led by Devon Turk, Ben Richardson and Christian Thomas. That's how bad it was for this team after it won back-to-back games to clinch its first winning season since 2010-11.

Buss' strong start helped Northern Iowa build a 30-18 halftime lead. The Panthers, who beat Loyola last month to start this win streak, then broke it open after the Ramblers pulled within nine.

Bohannon wrapped two 3-pointers around a layup by Earl Peterson, sparking a 15-4 run. That boosted the lead from 32-23 to 45-27 and essentially ended the suspense — not that there was much.

Buss scored seven points during one two-plus minute stretch midway through the first half, and added a 3-pointer that made it 28-15. With the lead at 10, Northern Iowa's Wes Washpun converted a neat layup in the closing minute, pumping in midair, to make it a 12-point game.

TIP-INS

Northern Iowa: The Panthers improved to 8-2 against the Ramblers and stopped a two-game losing streak at Gentile Arena. Northern Iowa fell in overtime last year at Loyola.

Northwestern: Loyola's last win over a Top 25 team was at No. 15 Butler on Feb. 15, 2009. The Ramblers have not beaten a ranked team at home since they took out No. 9 Illinois on Dec. 27, 1986.

UP NEXT

Northern Iowa hosts Bradley on Saturday.

Loyola visits Illinois State on Saturday.

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