RECAP
CANCUN, Mexico -- Seth Tuttle scored 19 points and Northern Iowa beat Northwestern 61-42 to claim the Cancun Challenge championship.
Nate Buss added 11 points, including three 3-pointers, as the Panthers (6-0) posted their 11th win all-time against a Big Ten team.
Northwestern (5-1) took an 18-14 lead at 10:14 of the first half after a layup and 3-pointer by Alex Olah, but Northern Iowa went on a 17-2 run to close the half, including a pair of 3-pointers by Nate Buss, to lead 31-20 at the break. The Panthers were 14 of 24 (58 percent) from the floor before intermission and 48 percent overall.
The Wildcats got it to 10 with 11:05 left, but a pair of free throws and a dunk by Tuttle pushed it back to 16.
Bryant McIntosh led Northwestern with 13 points. The Wildcats shot just 30 percent (16 of 53) and were 5 of 21 beyond the arc.
This was the first meeting between the two teams.
Northern Iowa forward Marvin Singleton had nine rebounds and has recorded at least six rebounds in each game to lead the team on the glass. The Panthers won the rebound battle 36-28.
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TIP INS
Northwestern: The Wildcats were playing for their third in-season tournament title in the last four years. The Big Ten has a 12-2 record in the Cancun Challenge, with Illinois (2011) and Wisconsin (2013) winning previously.
Northern Iowa: This is the second time Northern Iowa has started a season 6-0 since moving to Division I, matching its record in the 1999-2000 season. This is the third in-season tournament title under coach Ben Jacobson, previously capturing the 2010 Las Vegas Classic championship and the 2011 South Padre Island Invitational.
UP NEXT
Northwestern hosts Georgia Tech Dec. 3 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Northern Iowa hosts Richmond on Sunday.
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