CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (Interstat) — Southern Illinois held off Northern Iowa for a 59-57 men’s basketball victory Saturday at McLeod Center. The Salukis, who led 33-30 at halftime, survived a late push from the Panthers. Quel’Ron House led all scorers with 21 points for Southern Illinois. Trey Campbell scored 16 points for Northern Iowa, and Will Hornseth added 14. The Salukis improved to 14-15 overall, while the Panthers fell to 18-11. Attendance was 4,102.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (Interstat) — In a tense defensive struggle that came down to the final possession, Southern Illinois edged Northern Iowa 59-57 in a Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at McLeod Center. The Salukis, who led for nearly the entire contest, survived a frantic final minute and a last-second blocked shot to secure the road victory in front of a crowd of 4,102. The win improved Southern Illinois to 14-15 overall, while Northern Iowa fell to 18-11. The game was defined by grinding, physical defense and offensive inefficiency. Southern Illinois scored its 59 points on 59 possessions, while Northern Iowa managed just 57 points on 63 trips. Both teams struggled from beyond the arc and the free-throw line, with the Salukis hitting only 1 of 3 from the stripe. The Panthers capitalized on Southern Illinois mistakes, scoring 19 points off 16 Saluki turnovers, but could not overcome their own shooting woes, finishing 4 of 17 from three-point range. Southern Illinois guard Quel’Ron House was the offensive catalyst, leading all scorers with 21 points and adding five assists in 38 minutes. His backcourt mate, Drew Steffe, provided crucial support with 14 points. For Northern Iowa, Trey Campbell scored 16 points and Will Hornseth added 14 points and a key block, but the Panthers could never establish a consistent offensive rhythm. The most critical sequence of the game unfolded in the final 36 seconds. With Southern Illinois clinging to a 57-55 lead, Northern Iowa’s Trey Campbell drove for a layup to tie the game. On the ensuing possession, Southern Illinois’ Drew Steffe committed a traveling turnover, giving the Panthers the ball with a chance to take the lead. Campbell struck again, driving for another layup to put Northern Iowa ahead 57-55 with just 16 seconds remaining. Southern Illinois, without a timeout, rushed upcourt. House missed a layup but grabbed his own offensive rebound and put it back to knot the score at 57-57. Northern Iowa advanced the ball and called a timeout with under 10 seconds to play. Out of the stoppage, the Panthers went to Campbell once more. He drove and scored yet another layup, putting Northern Iowa back on top 59-57 with only 5 seconds left. Southern Illinois inbounded quickly to Steffe, who raced the length of the floor. As the clock ticked down, he found House cutting to the basket. House’s contested layup attempt was blocked from behind by Northern Iowa’ Ben Schwieger, but the ball caromed out of bounds off a Panther defender with 0.9 seconds remaining. Given a final chance, the Salukis executed an inbounds play to perfection. Steffe found Rolyns Aligbe near the rim, and the 6-foot-9 forward converted a short shot as time expired to seal the dramatic 59-57 victory for Southern Illinois. Defense was a hallmark throughout, particularly for Southern Illinois. Aligbe anchored the interior with three blocked shots, including a pivotal swat on Ben Schwieger’s layup attempt in the final seconds that preserved the tie before the final sequence. Northern Iowa also applied pressure, recording 12 steals, led by Tristan Smith’s four. The Salukis built their early lead by controlling the paint, outscoring Northern Iowa 36-32 inside and grabbing nine offensive rebounds. Northern Iowa stayed close by forcing turnovers and converting them into transition opportunities, but ultimately shot just 23 of 52 from the field. The victory gave Southern Illinois a regular-season sweep of the Panthers, having also won 65-50 in Carbondale on Jan. 28. It marked a significant road result for the Salukis, who were projected by statistical metrics to have less than a 20 percent chance of winning. Southern Illinois next hosts Indiana State on Wednesday. Northern Iowa looks to rebound at home against Illinois State, also on Wednesday.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (Interstat) — A pivotal Missouri Valley Conference rematch is set for Saturday when Northern Iowa hosts Southern Illinois at McLeod Center. The Panthers (18-10) look to avenge a 65-50 road loss to the Salukis on Jan. 28 and continue their push for postseason positioning. Northern Iowa has won four of its last five, including an 81-60 rout at Indiana State on Wednesday. Max Weisbrod leads the surge, averaging 14.2 points over his last five games. He was held to just three points in the first meeting. Southern Illinois (13-15) arrives with momentum after a 66-61 road win at Drake on Wednesday. Guard Damien Mayo erupted for 22 points in that victory, showcasing the explosive scoring ability he has flashed throughout February. Mayo was limited to two points in the January win over UNI, but his recent form, including a 20-point performance on Jan. 31, makes him a central focus for the Panther defense. The Salukis have struggled for consistency but have shown they can compete with the league’s top teams, splitting their last six games. Their defense stifled Northern Iowa last month, holding the Panthers to a season-low 50 points and 32.7% shooting. For Northern Iowa, balance has been key. In Wednesday’s win, Will Hornseth scored 18 points and Ben Schwieger added 17 alongside Weisbrod’s 14. The Panthers are 11-3 at home this season. Southern Illinois will aim to sweep the regular-season series and climb back to .500 in conference play. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST on Saturday, Feb. 21.