CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (Interstat) — The Northern Iowa Panthers look to solidify their position in the Missouri Valley Conference standings when they host the struggling Evansville Purple Aces on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, at McLeod Center.

The Panthers (13-9 overall) enter the matchup seeking to rebound from a 65-50 road loss at Southern Illinois on Wednesday. Forward Will Hornseth, a key player to watch for Northern Iowa, scored 14 points in that defeat and has averaged 10.7 points over his last seven games. Northern Iowa won the season’s first meeting decisively, 62-48, at Evansville on Jan. 4, holding the Purple Aces to 30.2% shooting from the field.

Evansville (5-16) arrives in Cedar Falls on a six-game losing streak, most recently falling 82-78 at Drake on Wednesday. Despite the losses, guard Leif Moeller has been a bright spot, erupting for 20 points and seven assists against Drake and scoring 26 in a narrow loss to Bradley on Jan. 13. Moeller, however, was held to just seven points on 3-of-12 shooting in the earlier loss to the Panthers.

Northern Iowa has found consistency at home this season, while Evansville has lost nine of its last ten games overall. The Panthers’ defense, which ranks among the league’s best, will aim to contain Moeller and an Evansville offense that has shown flashes but struggles with efficiency.

The game tips off at 7 p.m. Central time. For Northern Iowa, it’s a chance to build momentum before a pivotal stretch against league contenders. For Evansville, it represents an opportunity to snap its skid and gain a measure of revenge for its lowest-scoring output of the conference season last month.