University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Southern Illinois
UNI Rolls Past Southern Illinois, 61-49
1/6/2010 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team rolled past the Southern Illinois Salukis in a nationally-televised contest, 61-49.
The Panthers ran their win streak to 12 in a row and moved to 13-1 overall on the season. The victory also upped the Panthers Missouri Valley Conference record to 4-0. SIU fell to 9-4 overall and 2-2 in the MVC.
Senior center Jordan Eglseder led all scorers with 17 points. Eglseder also added 14 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. UNI led by as many as 25 points in the game.
The Panthers burst out of the gates quickly with a 9-0 spurt to begin the game. A trio of free throws by Ali Farokhmanesh drained a triple on the Panthers' next possession and the Panthers never led by fewer than double digits the rest of the way.
UNI built the lead to 18 at 30-12 on a layup from Eglseder at the 5:53 mark of the first half. SIU's Kevin Dillard hit a jumper in the paint to trim the margin to 12 at 32-20, but a pair of baskets by Eglseder and Kwadzo Ahelegbe to close the half pushed the lead back to 16 at the intermission.
The Salukis climbed to within 36-25 in the first minute of the second half, but the Panthers responded with a 13-2 run to open up a 22-point lead. Freshman Marc Sonnen drilled a 3-pointer with 11:45 to go in the second half to give the Panthers a 49-27 lead.
The Panthers kept attacking and opened up a 57-32 lead with 6:56 to go after a dunk from Lucas O'Rear. The Salukis did not give up and finished the game on a 17-4 run to make the final margin, 61-49.
UNI will return to action Saturday at Illinois State in Normal, Ill. The game will tip at 3 p.m. and be televised nationally on ESPN2.
NOTES: The game was broadcast nationally on ESPNU ... the Panthers set a school record with their 12th straight win in a single season, a year after setting the mark at 11 ... UNI is two wins away from tying the school record for consecutive victories - UNI won 14 in a row in the 1962-63 and 1963-64 seasons ... the Panthers' 4-0 start ties for the best start in Valley history for UNI ... Tony Freeman led the Salukis with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor.
