Coming off of a win against Drake at home on Jan.16, the UNI men’s basketball team took on Southern Illinois on the road in Carbondale. The Salukis would score their first season sweep versus the Panthers.

Taking wins at home and on the road, Southern Illinois had four players in double digit scoring. Point-guard Sean Lloyd scored 15 points for the Salukis, as well as adding three steals to the stat sheet.

Armon Fletcher and Marcus Bartley each ended the contest with 12 points. On the offensive end, Southern Illinois shot 50 percent from the field. UNI had a hard time getting things going on offense. The Panthers scored 21 points in the first half and only shot 34 percent from the field.

Wyatt Lohaus led the way for the Panthers, scoring 15 points in 23 minutes of play. Klint Carlson and Isaiah Brown both ended the contest with 10 points. Southern Illinois would maintain the lead for the majority of the game. In the end, the Panthers would lose 64-53.

UNI hosted Illinois State at home on Jan. 24. Sophomore guards Isaiah Brown and Juwon McCloud carried the Panthers to their ninth home win of the season. Brown had a big night versus the Redbirds, scoring 20 points, two assists and three blocks. Scoring one two-point field goal, five three-pointers, as well as a few free throws, McCloud would end the game with a career-high nine assists and six steals.

Senior Bennett Koch scored 17 points and six rebounds, while Tywon Pickford ended the game with seven points and five rebounds. In the first half, the game was tied at 13 until the Panthers would go on a 27-1 run with 13 minutes left in the first half.

The Redbirds had two scoring outbursts from Milik Yarbrough and Keyshawn Evans. Yarbrough would end with a double double, 20 points and 13 rebounds and five assists. Evans led the Redbirds in scoring with 25 points. The Panthers led by as much as 31 points and led for the majority of the game. UNI would hold off the Redbirds at home with a final score of 83-72.