Northern Iowa secured its first NCAA tournament berth since 2016 with a dominant 84-69 victory over UIC in the Missouri Valley Conference championship game. Trey Campbell led the Panthers with 23 points, hitting six 3-pointers in a stellar performance that earned UNI its sixth MVC tournament title.

As the sixth seed, UNI became the lowest seed to ever win the tournament, winning four games in four days. The Panthers shot 63% from the field and made 12-of-23 three-pointers. Ben Schwieger added 18 points, while Will Hornseth and Leon Bond each contributed 10 points in the victory.

UIC's Elijah Crawford led all scorers with 28 points, but the fifth-seeded Flames couldn't overcome UNI's offensive efficiency. The Panthers led throughout and extended their lead with a decisive 13-2 run late in the second half. Northern Iowa's 23-12 record earned them an automatic bid to March Madness, ending a decade-long NCAA tournament drought.