UNI won its eighth-straight game with a 59-52 triumph at Southern Illinois on Wednesday night.

The 18th-ranked Panthers (19-2, 8-1 MVC) used a 22-3 run in the second half to rally from a halftime deficit and tally their eight league win a row. Southern Illinois (9-13 overall, 2-7 MVC) was held to 39.2 percent shooting in the game.

UNI bounced out to a 10-2 lead as junior Paul Jesperson drained the first of his two-first-half three-pointers with 12:54 on the clock. But the Salukis responded with a 16-4 run, giving them an 18-14 lead with 6:49 remaining. Southern Illinois led 26-23 at the intermission.

The Panthers trailed 32-30 before going on a 22-3 run, which gave them a 52-35 lead with 7:05 left in the game. UNI made its first five three-pointers of the second half. UNI drained seven of its first eight shots in the second 20 minutes.

UNI eventually led by 18 points at 56-38 with 5:31 left in the game. SIU closed the game on a 14-3 run.

UNI’s Seth Tuttle recorded his 20th career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Paul Jesperson tied a career-high with 13 points as he drained his first three 3-pointers of the game. Senior Nate Buss tallied 11 points off the bench.

The win sets up one of the of the biggest games in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) in more than 30 years. No. 18 UNI returns home on Saturday to battle No. 12 Wichita State in a sold out McLeod Center. The Panthers and Shockers will tip at 3 p.m. The game will be broadcast live nationally on ESPN2.

NOTES: UNI is 9-2 in road/neutral games this season … UNI held its 14th opponent to less than 40 percent shooting as the Salukis shot 39.2 percent for the game … UNI has held 16 opponents to 58 points or less this season … UNI’s eight-game league winning streak is the second-longest MVC winning streak in school history – trailing only an 11-game streak in the 2008-09 season.

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