CARBONDALE, Ill. (Interstat) — A surging Northern Iowa looks to continue its climb in the Missouri Valley Conference standings when it visits struggling Southern Illinois on Wednesday night at SIU Arena.

The Panthers (13-8, 4-4 MVC) enter with momentum from an 81-76 home victory over Murray State last Saturday, which snapped a four-game skid. The Salukis (8-12, 2-5), meanwhile, have lost four straight, most recently a 69-63 defeat at Valparaiso.

Northern Iowa’s success hinges largely on guard Trey Campbell, who is coming off a season-high 27-point performance against Murray State. Over his last eight games, Campbell is averaging 14.8 points and 3.6 assists, serving as the focal point of the Panthers’ offense. He was supported by strong showings from Leon Bond (16 points) and Will Hornseth (14 points) in the win.

Southern Illinois will counter with guard Jalen Haynes, who has been a bright spot during the losing streak. Haynes averaged 19.5 points over his last two contests, including a 22-point effort in a narrow loss to Belmont. He scored 17 points and dished five assists in the loss to Valparaiso.

The Salukis have struggled defensively, allowing 73.5 points per game during their four-game slide. They will face a Northern Iowa team that has shown offensive potency, scoring 80-plus points in three of its last five wins. However, the Panthers have also been prone to offensive droughts, as evidenced in road losses at Illinois State (54 points) and Valparaiso (44 points) this month.

Historically, games between these rivals are tightly contested. This marks the first of two regular-season meetings, with the rematch scheduled for Feb. 21 in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

For Southern Illinois, a return home offers a chance to reset. The Salukis are 6-4 at SIU Arena this season. For Northern Iowa, the game represents an opportunity to solidify its position in the upper half of the league ahead of a favorable stretch in its schedule.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CST Wednesday.