(1) Northern Iowa 60, (3) Illinois State 57 OT
Sophomore guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe hit two free throws with 16 seconds remaining in overtime to give No. 1 Northern Iowa the lead, and the Panthers held on against No. 3 Illinois State for a 60-57 win. Ahelegbe led the Panthers with 17 points, helping them deny the Redbirds, who rallied from a double-digit first-half deficit. Junior guard Osiris Eldridge fueled the comeback with 21 points after halftime. But Northern Iowa outlasted the Redbirds’ upset bid to capture the team’s second Missouri Valley championship.
