Northern Iowa knocks off Southern Illinois 67-58

CEDER FALLS, Iowa -- 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.