Preview: Illinois-Chicago at Northern Iowa

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (Interstat) — The Northern Iowa Panthers look to rebound from a rare skid and complete a season sweep when they host the Illinois-Chicago Flames in a Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball game Tuesday at McLeod Center.

Northern Iowa (12-5) saw a four-game winning streak snapped with consecutive losses to Belmont and Bradley last week. The Panthers, who boast a strong 12-5 overall record, previously defeated UIC 60-54 on Dec. 17 in Chicago. Guard Trey Campbell, who scored 15 points in that first meeting, leads Northern Iowa. He is averaging 15.4 points over his last seven games, including an 18-point performance in the loss at Bradley on Saturday.

The Flames (7-10) arrive with momentum from a 63-59 overtime road win at Illinois State. UIC has won two of its last three after a five-game losing streak. Sophomore forward Abdul Momoh has been a consistent offensive threat, scoring in double figures in five of his last seven outings. He tallied 15 points in the win over Illinois State and had 13 points and six rebounds in a narrow loss at Valparaiso on Jan. 4.

Northern Iowa holds a significant edge in the standings and will rely on its home-court advantage, where it is 7-2 this season. The Panthers’ defense has been a hallmark, holding opponents under 70 points in 13 of 17 games.

UIC, which averages 72.2 points per game, will need another efficient performance from Momoh and improved scoring support to challenge a stout Panthers defense on the road. The Flames are 1-6 in true road games this season.

Tuesday’s contest is the second of two scheduled regular-season meetings. Following this game, Northern Iowa travels to Valparaiso on Saturday, while UIC hosts Drake.