GAME NOTES: The Northern Iowa Panthers will attempt to stay unbeaten on the season on Sunday afternoon when they return home to the McLeod Center to take on the Richmond Spiders in non-conference action.

Richmond has been relatively quiet over the first few weeks of the season with just four games, winning its two home contests and losing both road matchups. The Spiders most recently ventured to NC State last Wednesday and fell on the wrong end of an 84-72 decision.

UNI has been nothing short of outstanding to start the season, winning all six of its contests to match its best-ever start as a Division I program. The highlight of the young season for the Panthers came in the Cancun Challenge last week, where they downed Virginia Tech (73-54) and Northwestern (61-42) en route to the championship.

This marks the first-ever meeting between the programs.

The Spiders latest game was incredibly close the majority of the time, as they battled NC State through eight ties and an incredibly 29 lead changes, but they lost control late in the second half by allowing the Wolfpack to finish the game on a 22-9 run. While they shot an impressive 48.3 percent from the field, which included an 11-of-26 showing from 3-point range, they were only 5-of-6 at the foul line while NC State made 18-of-22 at the stripe. T.J. Cline and Kendall Anthony both poured in 17 points, while Terry Allen followed close behind with 14 points.

Richmond's inconsistent start to the season has resulted in scoring 68.2 ppg while allowing 62.2 ppg, but while it is outworked on the glass (-7.2 rebounding margin), it has helped make of that its size advantage with a great field goal percentage (.505). Anthony puts up a team-best 16.3 ppg, while Cline (13.5 ppg) has been outstanding off the bench, shooting 73.3 percent from the field. Allen (10.8 ppg) and Alonzo Nelson-Ododa (10.0 ppg) round out the double-digit scorers.

The Panthers' excellent well-rounded performance against Northwestern in the Cancun Challenge title game last Wednesday was a microcosm of their fast start to the season. They shot 47.8 percent from the field, held Northwestern to only 30.2 percent shooting and won the rebounding battle, 36-28. Seth Tuttle paced the winning effort with 19 points, knocking down 7-of-11 from the field. Nate Buss added 11 points off the bench and Marvin Singleton hauled in nine rebounds.

On the season, UNI boasts great percentages from the field (.491), 3-point range (.380) and the foul line (.741) en route to 69.3 ppg, and it has been equally impressive on the defensive end of the floor, holding teams to just 54.5 ppg on 38.5 percent shooting. Seven players score at least 6.0 ppg, led by Tuttle with 16.3 ppg. Tuttle also collects 6.2 rpg and shoots a lofty 67.3 percent from the field. Wes Washpun provides a spark off the bench with 10.5 ppg on 67.6 percent shooting. Singleton is a mainstay in the paint with 6.5 ppg and 7.2 rpg.

Against a Richmond squad that has yet to win on the road, UNI should continue to find success in its return home.