UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA TO TAKE ON INDIANA STATE

The University of Northern Iowa (15-6, 9-1 Missouri Valley Conference) puts its nine-game winning streak on the line this Saturday, when it travels to face Indiana State (4-17, 2-8 MVC). Tipoff time is set for 12:05 pm (central), and the game will be televised live on Fox Sports Midwest and Comcast SportsNet Chicago.

JUMP BALLS..

UNI has won its first five Missouri Valley Conference road games of the year, the first time in its 18-year membership in the league that it has claimed wins in its first five league road tilts. It also ties the most road wins UNI has ever had in one Missouri Valley Conference season, as the Panthers also won five road games in the 2005-06 campaign.

Sophomore point guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe came up big down the stretch against Illinois State on Wednesday. The 6-2 Ahelegbe scored nine of UNI’s last 10 points, including making three free throws in the last 15 seconds to seal the victory. Ahelegbe, who had 13 total points versus the Redbirds, has scored in double-figures in eight straight games.

UNI’s current nine-game winning streak is the school’s longest since becoming a Division I program in 1980 and is tied for the second-longest streak in school history. UNI’s nine-game winning streak is also tied for the fifth-longest active streak in the NCAA.

The last time UNI won nine straight games was in the 1963-64 season, when the Panthers had separate nine and 10-game winning streaks. That UNI team, which then was a Division II school known as the State College of Iowa, posted a record of 23-4 under the direction of coach Norm Stewart, and advanced to the College Division Final Four. The 10-game winning streak to start the 1963-64 season is the longest in UNI history.

Indiana State handed UNI its lone Missouri Valley Conference loss of the season, an 85-84 double-overtime win at the McLeod Center in the league openers for both teams on Dec. 28. Panthers guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe led all players with a career-high 28 points, while Ali Farokhmanesh added 20.

UNI trailed by as many as 21 points in the first half against Indiana State in the team’s Dec. 28th game in Cedar Falls, and 17 points at halftime (41-24). The Panthers rallyied to force overtime on a Travis Brown three-pointer at the buzzer, but the Sycamores were able to pull out the double-overtime victory.