The UNI men’s basketball team fell in a two-point game, 68-66, against the Salukis of Southern Illinois in Carbondale, Ill. on Wednesday, Jan. 22. The Panthers are now 5-2 in the MVC and 16-3 overall on the season, coming off a road win at Bradley last Saturday night.

“As sharp as we were down the stretch at Bradley, we had a tough stretch against Southern Illinois in the first half that got us behind the 8 ball a little bit, then obviously a tougher stretch in the second half,” head coach Ben Jacobson said. “Four or five of their first six possessions, we got stops,” he said. “ It felt like we had a chance to get out ahead […] we didn’t quite get there.”

Traw Berhow led the Panther offense in the first half, ending with 15 points and going 5-7 from the field. The Panther trailed by two with ten turnovers at the end of the first half.

The Salukis gained a 16 point lead with 11:18 remaining in the game, but UNI quickly cut the lead to eight.

“We turned up some things defensively,” Jacobson said. “We did a much better job of rotating, much better job of helping teammates […] We were much better defensively in that stretch.”

Despite their improved defensive effort, the Purple and Gold were unable to steal the lead and dropped their second Valley game of the season, putting them at 5-2 in the MVC. They out-rebounded the Salukis 41-26, lead by forward Isaiah Brown tallying 7.

Berhow led the team with 22 points. A.J. Green, named last week’s MVC conference player of the week, finished the game with 16 points. Austin Phyfe also recorded 16 points and his fifth double-double of the season.

Next, the Panthers will host the Rambler of Loyola-Chicago in the McLeod Center on Sunday, Jan. 26.