Hoffman Estates, IL -- (Sports Network) - Wesley Matthews posted a game-high 17 points, as the 15th-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles dominated the Northern Iowa Panthers, 73-43, as part of the Chicago Invitational Challenge.

Lazar Hayward and Jerel McNeal chipped in 15 and 13 points, respectively, for Marquette (5-0), which takes on Dayton in the next round on Saturday.

Kwadzo Ahelegbe's 11 points paced Northern Iowa (3-2), which had won its previous two games and faces Auburn in the next round.

The Golden Eagles did their damage from the perimeter in the early going to jump all over the Panthers. Four three-pointers, including a pair from Dominic James, highlighted a 20-0 run that spear-headed a 32-8 lead with a little over five minutes left in the first half.

Eight straight Northern Iowa points could only get the underdogs within 37-18 at the break.

Hayward's three-point play midway through the second half made it a 30-point game and the Panthers didn't have the fire power to fight back.

Game Notes

It was the first-ever meeting between the schools..The Golden Eagles are 15-1 overall since 2004-05 in regular season tournaments...Marquette came into the game scoring an eye-popping 96.5 ppg this season...The Panthers hit 3-of-21 from behind the arc, while Marquette sunk 11-of-27 from downtown.