COL BKB: Northern Iowa 69, UNLV 66

OKLAHOMA CITY, March 18 (UPI) -- A long 3-point shot by Ali Farokhmanesh with 4.9 seconds to go Thursday gave Northern Iowa a 69-66 NCAA upset victory over Nevada-Las Vegas.

Farokhmanesh put up an attempt from at least a yard outside the 3-point line and hit his fifth long-range shot of the game. He finished with 17 points and brought the Panthers the second NCAA tourney victory in school history.

Northern Iowa, ranked among the nation's Top 25 for much of the season, came into the tournament as a No. 9 seed in the Midwest Region. The Panthers, champions of the Missouri Valley Conference, improved to 29-4.

Kwadzo Ahelegbe added 13 points for Northern Iowa, which led by as many as nine points early in the second half.

Nevada-Las Vegas (25-9) was paced by 14 points from Matt Shaw and 13 each from Oscar Bellfield and Tre'Von Willis.

Northern Iowa had a three-point lead and the ball as the game's final minute began, but Ahelegbe was guilty of a shot-clock violation with 57 seconds remaining.

Oscar Bellfield then tied it on a 3-pointer with 38 seconds to go, setting up Farokhmanesh for the game-winner.