CEDAR FALLS -- The University of Northern Iowa basketball team aced its final exam Sunday.

In their last tune-up before the rugged, 18-game Missouri Valley Conference slate begins next week, the Panthers pieced together a 72-55 rout of South Dakota State at the McLeod Center.

"That was the best defensive game, by far, we've played the entire year," guard Ali Farokhmanesh said. "We had a really good carryover from practice this last week to the game."

After lackluster performances on the defensive end in losses at Iowa and Wyoming, UNI head coach Ben Jacobson emphasized discipline and toughness in practice the past four days.

The message was heard. UNI stymied SDSU (5-8) on 19 first-half points and 28 percent shooting. In fact, the Panthers (6-5) held the Jackrabbits without a field goal for nearly nine minutes as they turned a 6-4 lead into a 23-5 cushion.

SDSU's Garrett Callahan and Clint Sargent, who were teaming up for nearly 32 points per game, didn't make a basket in the first 15-plus minutes.

"We were much sharper defensively," Jacobson said. "I wasn't as pleased how we played the last couple of games, but as a team and to a man, they practiced hard this week.

"We were more on the same page offensively today, and I felt we were tougher and more disciplined defensively. That's a good feeling to have as you start league play."

The Jackrabbits, who were within five points late in the second half at undefeated Minnesota earlier this month, were 6 of 23 from the arc and received just 24 points from their starting five.

"We took away some things defensively," said UNI sophomore guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe, who had a game-high 16 points. "I still think we can be better."

Still, it was a vast improvement for UNI, which entered the contest allowing 67 points per game and was last in the league in field-goal percentage defense (45.2).

And when the Panthers scuffled offensively early with five consecutive empty possessions, their defense rescued them.

"The couple of great chances we missed out on offensively didn't affect the way we defended," Jacobson said, "and that's a sign of maturing a little bit as a team."

Offensively, UNI shot a season-high 57 percent and did most of its damage inside. The Panthers attempted a season-low 11 3-pointers, but scored 34 points in the paint. In addition to Ahelegbe, Farokhmanesh had 14 points -- his highest output in five games -- and Jordan Eglseder finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.

Farokhmanesh converted five of eight shots and had three assists to just one turnover.

"(Ali) played a good basketball game," Jacobson said. "Those are the type of games that I think we can expect from him. He's versatile enough to do more than just score.

"I don't know if I'd expect as much out of a newcomer if he didn't expect it out of himself."

And with Indiana State and the Valley schedule looming, UNI realized this was a critical win.

"We definitely didn't want to go below .500," Eglseder said. "This was a huge game for us to get our confidence up before Indiana State."

It will also make the holiday break more enjoyable. Jacobson is giving his team three days off before they reconvene for practice Thursday afternoon.

"We wanted to go home for Christmas and think about Christmas," Farokhmanesh said. "If we lost, we would have gone home and kept replaying this game over and over in our heads.

"This was definitely a step in the right direction."

SHORT SHOTS: UNI sophomore Lucas O'Rear was held out of Sunday's game with an ankle injury. "He's only about 75 percent," Jacobson said. "He's not as far along as I hoped. Hopefully, with four days of rest, he'll be close to 100 percent next week." … Adam Rodenberg, in his first game as a Panther, had three points and five rebounds in 21 minutes. … South Dakota State continues its Iowa swing at Iowa State on Tuesday night.

Contact Matt Coss at (319) 291-1468 or matt.coss@wcfcourier.com

SDSU Mn FG-A FT-A Rb As PF TP

Cordova 23 5-9 0-0 5 0 3 10

Engen 10 0-2 1-2 0 0 0 1

Palarca 18 1-3 0-0 1 1 1 2

GaCallahan 33 4-10 3-4 5 4 3 11

Tivis 7 0-1 0-0 1 0 1 0

Casey 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0

Moss 19 2-5 0-0 3 1 2 4

Sargent 28 4-9 0-0 2 0 1 11

Williams 25 0-6 2-4 4 2 2 2

Cassaday 10 0-2 0-0 0 0 3 0

GrCallahan 26 5-8 1-3 6 0 3 14

Team 1

Totals 200 21-55 7-13 28 8 20 55

N. Iowa Mn FG-A FT-A Rb As PF TP

Koch 25 3-4 0-0 0 0 2 6

Eglseder 22 4-7 3-3 7 1 1 11

Farokhmanesh 27 5-8 2-2 1 3 2 14

Ahelegbe 25 7-9 2-4 0 0 2 16

Moran 29 3-8 0-0 5 2 1 8

Haak 16 1-4 0-0 1 2 0 3

Brown 11 1-3 0-0 3 0 4 2

Dunham 24 3-4 2-2 3 1 2 9

Rodenberg 21 1-2 1-4 5 1 2 3

Team 4

Totals 200 28-49 10-15 29 10 16 72

South Dakota State 19 36 ï½ 55

Northern Iowa 40 32 ï½ 72

3-point goals ï½ SDSU 6-23 (Sargent 3-7, Gri. Callahan 3-5, Williams 0-4, Cassady 0-2, Gar. Callahan 0-2, Moss 0-1, Palarca 0-1, Engen 0-1); UNI 6-11 (Moran 2-3, Farokhmanesh 2-2, Haak 1-3, Dunham 1-1, Eglseder 0-1, Brown 0-1). Turnovers ï½ SDSU 12 (Sargent 4); UNI 11 (Ahelegbe 3). Steals ï½ SDSU 2 (Gri. Callahan 2); UNI 0. Blocks ï½ SDSU 0; UNI 1 (Eglseder).

Officials ï½ Shaw, Higgins, Skiles. Att. ï½ 2,359.