Friday, March 7th, 9:35 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Scottrade Center (22,612) -- St. Louis, Missouri. Television: FSN/CSN. Home Record: UNI 11-6, SIU 12-3. Away Record: UNI 6-7, SIU 3-9. Neutral Record: UNI 0-0, SIU 2-1. Conference Record: UNI 9-9, SIU 11-7. Series Record: Southern Illinois leads, 27-14.

GAME NOTES: Southern Illinois will try to return to the title game of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, but first the third-seeded Salukis need to get past the sixth-seeded Northern Iowa Panthers. The Panthers closed the regular season with five losses in their final eight games. However, two of those wins came in the last two contests, as the team finished with an even 9-9 mark in conference play. The Panthers won the tournament title back in 2004, but overall the Panthers are just 9-14 in this event. As for the Salukis, they lost to Illinois State in the season finale, 57-49, snapping the team's five-game win streak. Despite the loss to the Redbirds, SIU finished with an 11-7 league record. The Salukis won the 2006 MVC Tournament title, but last year the team fell just short, losing to Creighton in the championship game. With respects to the all-time series between these two clubs, the Salukis hold a 27-14 edge. The teams split the season series this year, with each winning on its home floor.

The Panthers play a smothering defensive style that has limited the opposition to a mere 60.9 ppg this season, and just a 39.4 percent shooting effort from the floor. The team, however, has not been able to force many turnovers (10.4 per game) and has recorded just 125 steals. The tenacious defensive play overshadowed UNI's horrendous display offensively, as the team posted just 63.3 ppg behind 44.9 percent shooting from the floor. Eric Coleman is the only player averaging double figures for UNI, as the center is netting 11.9 ppg to go along with 8.5 rpg and 42 blocks, both team-highs as well. Jared Josten is the next best option offensively, but the guard is shooting below 40.0 percent from the field, and is netting just 9.8 ppg.

The Salukis are very similar to their counterpart here tonight, as the team plays a stifling defensive game, while never really posting solid numbers offensively. SIU comes into this matchup surrendering only 60.0 ppg, and has forced the opposition in 15.8 turnovers per contest. Offensively, the Salukis simply aren't very strong, although the team has played well enough to get the job done. Randal Falker and Matt Shaw have formed a devastating frontcourt duo this year. Falker leads the team with 12.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg and 42 blocks, while Shaw contributes 12.0 ppg to go with 6.7 rpg. Bryan Mullins, who was recently named the MVC's Defensive Player of the Year, has done a tremendous job running the show on the floor, pacing the team with 151 assists, while also posting 11.0 ppg and a team-high 66 steals.

This will definitely be a grueling, defensive battle between two tough teams. The Salukis have the ability to force more turnovers and have more scoring options, and that should be enough to propel them into the next round.

Predicted Outcome

Southern Illinois 67, Northern Iowa 64