Bennett Koch scored 22 points with 11 rebounds — both career highs — and Northern Iowa knocked off Southern Illinois 67-58 on Sunday.
Koch went 8 of 9 from the field with three blocked shots for the Panthers (12-11, 4-6 Missouri Valley). Wes Washpun scored 16 points and Matt Bohannon added 12. The Panthers made just 3 of 19 from beyond the arc, but made up for that with 20 made free throws in 30 attempts.
Southern Illinois (18-5, 7-3 Missouri Valley) was paced by Anthony Beane with 16 points and Sean O'Brien with 14.
Northern Iowa closed the first half with a 12-4 run — including a 3-pointer and pair of free throws by Bohannon — to forge a tie at 29.
Midway through the second, the Salukis went 4:26 without scoring while UNI built a 10-point lead, which it nursed down the stretch.
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