OMAHA, Neb. - If you saw this coming 10 days ago, go purchase a lottery ticket.

After a home loss to a 2-9 Indiana State club in the Missouri Valley Conference opener on Dec. 28, many fans and pundits questioned what direction this basketball season was headed for the 6-6 University of Northern Iowa.

Now, in a span of seven days, the Panthers have done something their three NCAA Tournament teams this decade failed to do.

UNI, which registered its first win at Southern Illinois in 12 seasons last week, stunned preseason conference favorite Creighton, 69-66, Tuesday night before 15,575 fans at the Qwest Center to end a dozen years of misery in Omaha.

"We're starting to grow up finally," UNI guard Ali Farokhmanesh said. "We had a rough start to the year, but we're starting to get the hang of it. We're starting to come around, and we're growing up in front of everybody in the Valley right now."

In addition to snapping a nine-game losing streak to the Bluejays (12-4, 2-2 MVC), UNI recorded its first victory here since February 1996 and halted Creighton's 14-game home winning streak.

"We're much tougher than we were a month ago," Panther head coach Ben Jacobson said.

That toughness was tested to the final horn Tuesday.

Farokhmanesh buried two free throws with 9.4 seconds remaining to give UNI a three-point cushion. Creighton raced down the floor, in hopes of forcing overtime, when Cavel Witter - a 42 percent 3-point shooter - launched a shot from the right wing over Johnny Moran.

"Like everybody in purple, we're all thinking the same thing - 'miss,'" Jacobson said.

Witter's shot caromed off the front of the rim and Moran squeezed the rebound to secure the milestone win.

"I didn't think it was going in," Moran said. "It was a very tough shot."

UNI also benefitted from several uncharacteristic Creighton miscues down the stretch.

With the game knotted at 65-all and 2 minutes, 27 seconds remaining, Booker Woodfox - who had converted 36 straight free throws - missed two. Then, with 42 ticks left, Witter, an 88 percent foul shooter, misfired on the second of two free throws.

"We were very fortunate," Jacobson said. "You have to have a couple things go your way anytime you win on the road or beat a really good team."

The Panthers also persevered after point guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe fouled out with 4:51 left and trailing by three. Adam Koch tallied seven straight points for UNI to help it draw even. Farokhmanesh gave the Panthers the lead after drilling a baseline jumper with 1:14 left.

After Witter split his two free throws, Farokhmanesh - surrounded by a trio of Bluejay defenders - was fouled by Witter 30 feet away from the basket with three ticks left on the 35-second shot clock and 9.4 seconds left in the game.

"It felt like I was standing there amongst giants," said Farokhmanesh, who knocked down both foul shots to finish with 18 points.

As Witter looked for the game-tying 3, Moran stayed in front of him, but left his feet on a pump fake.

"I'm not supposed to do that," Moran said, "but there was enough room between us where I didn't come down on him. It worked out for us."

Elation ensued on the Panther bench and carried over minutes later to the locker room.

"Everybody was just beating up on each other in there," Ahelegbe said. "We were just glowing in that locker room. It was a big, big win.

Moran was clutch on the offensive end. The freshman made seven of 10 shots - including six 3- pointers - and finished with a career-high 22 points to go along with eight rebounds.

"Johnny doesn't play like a freshman," Koch said. "He's got a lot of confidence and wants to take those big shots. We're glad he's firing away and being aggressive."

Koch had 13 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Panthers, who shot 56 percent in the second half. Ahelegbe added 10 points and five assists as UNI's starting backcourt trio accounted for 50 of its 69 points.

P'Allen Stinnett paced the Bluejays, who shot just 39.6 percent, with 17 points.

"We just didn't play as well as we needed to," said Creighton coach Dana Altman, whose club has dropped two straight. Northern Iowa hit some timely 3s that did us in.

"We were in position a few times and had our opportunities. It's very disappointing, but at the same token, Northern played very well and got us."

SHORT SHOTS: Panther center Jordan Eglseder played just seven minutes and failed to score in a game for the first time this year. "He got off to a poor start, than sprained his ankle, and I didn't think he was moving well enough," Jacobson said. … The Panthers, who cracked 60 points for the first time in four seasons against the Bluejays, have shot better than 47 percent in four of their last five games, including 49 percent Tuesday. … UNI won despite committing 16 turnovers - matching its second highest total in a game this year.

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

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

Koch 34 4-10 5-6 9 5 1 13

Eglseder 7 0-1 0-0 2 1 1 0

Farokhmanesh 31 7-13 2-2 3 3 2 18

Ahelegbe 31 3-9 4-7 1 5 5 10

Moran 32 7-10 2-2 8 0 3 22

Haak 3 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0

Brown 11 0-0 0-0 1 0 2 0

Dunham 19 0-2 0-0 0 0 4 0

O'Rear 29 3-4 0-0 5 2 4 6

Rodenberg 3 0-0 0-2 1 0 2 0

Team 3

Totals 200 24-49 13-19 34 16 25 69

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

Carter 29 1-7 3-4 6 1 1 5

Lawson 18 4-8 0-0 1 0 2 8

Stinnett 31 4-9 8-9 4 3 4 17

Dotzler 19 1-4 1-2 2 4 1 3

Woodfox 23 4-9 2-4 2 0 2 12

Witter 28 2-6 5-6 5 3 3 11

Millard 19 1-1 2-2 2 1 3 5

Korver 11 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 0

Young 9 2-3 0-0 0 0 1 4

Harriman 10 0-1 1-2 1 0 1 1

Walker 3 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 0

Team 3

Totals 200 19-48 22-29 26 12 20 66

Northern Iowa 30 39 - 69

Creighton 29 37 - 66

3-point goals - UNI 8-19 (Moran 6-8, Farokhmanesh 2-6, Ahelegbe 0-2, Koch 0-1, Eglseder 0-1, Dunham 0-1); Creighton 6-18 (Woodfox 2-4, Witter 2-4, Stinnett 1-4, Millard 1-1, Carter 0-3, Young 0-1, Harriman 0-1). Turnovers - UNI 16 (Eglseder 3); Creighton 10 (Witter 4). Steals - UNI 2 (O'Rear, Moran); Creighton 6 (Stinnett 3). Blocks - UNI 1 (Koch); Creighton 3 (three players with one).

Officials - Eades, Pollard, Steed. Att. - 15,575

Missouri Valley standings

Conf. Overall

W L W L

Bradley 4 0 10 5

Illinois State 3 1 14 1

Northern Iowa 3 1 9 6

Drake 2 1 11 4

Evansville 2 1 10 3

Creighton 2 2 12 4

Indiana State 1 2 3 11

Missouri State 0 3 7 7

Wichita State 0 3 6 8

Southern Ill. 0 3 5 9

TUESDAY'S RESULTS

Northern Iowa 69, Creighton 66

Bradley 56, Illinois State 52

GAMES TODAY

Missouri State at Evansville, 7:05 p.m.

Indiana State at Drake, 7:05 p.m.

Southern Illinois at Wichita State, 7:05 p.m.

GAMES SATURDAY

Missouri State at Northern Iowa, 7:05 p.m.

Illinois State at Indiana State, 6:05 p.m.

Evansville at Southern Illinois, 7:05 p.m.

Creighton at Bradley, 7:05 p.m.