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Feb. 5, 2005

Box Score

Cedar Falls, Iowa - Junior guard Ben Jacobson (Sioux City, Iowa) fought off a bout with the flu to score a game-high 18 points and lead the University of Northern Iowa to a 67-61 win over Southern Illinois Saturday night in front of 7,163 at the UNI-Dome.

Jacobson hit 5-of-9 shots from the floor and 3-of-4 on three-pointers, while adding four assists and two steals. Erik Crawford (Oakdale, Minn.) contributed 16 points and eight rebounds for the Panthers. Crawford also held Darren Brooks, SIU's leading scorer and the reigning MVC Player of the Year, to just 5-for-17 shooting on the night.

The Panthers jumped out to an 18-8 lead with 13:55 left in the first half, as Jacobson scored half of the team's points to start the game. UNI extended its lead to as many as 12 (31-19) with 4:39 remaining, before SIU began to claw its way back. The Salukis went on a 13-4 run over the rest of the half to pull within 35-32 at the break.

Southern Illinois took its first lead of the game, 44-43, on a fastbreak layup by LaMar Owen. But Crawford answered with a 10-foot jumper and a three-pointer from the left wing to give the Panthers a 48-44 edge. With 8:45 left, SIU's Jamaal Tatum hit a three-pointer -- his only basket of the game - to pull the Salukis even once again at 51-all. But after UNI's Brooks McKowen (Fairbank, Iowa) hit a pair of free throws on the ensuing possession, the Panthers would not trail again.

A fast-break dunk by forward Grant Stout (New Sharon, Iowa) with 4:26 left gave the Panthers a 62-55 lead, before SIU made one last charge. Stetson Hairston and Brooks each nailed three-pointers to pull SIU within 62-61, but UNI hit five of six free throws in the final minute, and saw SIU miss its final five shots, to clinch the victory.

Stout had nine points, three blocks and a game-high 11 rebounds for UNI, while Godfread scored eight points and grabbed six boards off the bench. Brooks led Southern Illinois with 14 points.

With the win, UNI improves to 16-7 overall, 7-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Southern Illinois falls to 17-6, 8-3 in conference play. The Panthers next game is Wednesday, Feb. 9, when they travel to face Creighton. Tipoff for the game, which will be televised by ESPN2, is set for 7:05 p.m.