CEDAR FALLS - For the first time since players from the University of Northern Iowa basketball team were in grade school, the Panthers have mustered victories at Creighton and Southern Illinois in the same season.

That, in itself, has already made the start of the Missouri Valley Conference season memorable.

Still, the Panthers realize there are 14 more challenges awaiting them. And as quickly as they climbed the standings with three consecutive wins, the pendulum can swing the opposite direction just as fast.

"We haven't accomplished much yet," junior Adam Koch said. "We need to keep taking steps and getting better."

"We're not going to settle for 3-1," sophomore Lucas O'Rear said. "We have more room to grow."

UNI (9-6) will see how it handles prosperity today when Missouri State (7-8, 0-4 MVC) visits the McLeod Center for a 7:05 p.m. tip. The game will be televised by FSN Midwest.

The Panthers have won a season-high three straight, while the Bears are in the midst of a five-game skid.

"We've got to take this high we're on and keep feeding off this," Panther reserve guard Brian Haak said. "It's a long season."

UNI head coach Ben Jacobson said it begins at practice. So far, he's been encouraged by the work ethic and attention to detail shown by his players in workouts.

"They want to keep getting better," he said. "If we keep getting better, some fun things can happen for us."

Despite its recent success, UNI still hasn't pieced together a complete game.

It labored for a 10-minute stretch in the second half at Southern Illinois, followed by sluggish first-half offensive performances against Wichita State and Creighton.

"We still haven't played our best game yet," point guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe said. "We're still searching for two good halves. I'm kind of scared when it happens."

The Panthers are averaging more than 72 points per game in league play - up by more than 10 points from last year. Guards Ali Farokhmanesh, Johnny Moran and Ahelegbe are shooting a collective 58-for-113 (51 percent) from the field.

However, the improvement on defense has been pivotal. UNI has limited three of its last five opponents to 55 points or fewer. The Panthers accomplished that only once in their first 10 games.

"The defensive intensity has really stepped up," guard Kerwin Dunham said.

MSU, under the direction of first-year coach and former Purdue standout Cuonzo Martin, has relied on its defense. The Bears are near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, but are second in the MVC in scoring defense (60.3 ppg.) and forcing almost 16 turnovers per contest.

Martin's club is still winless in the Valley, but it has dropped two games in overtime and held a lead with two minutes remaining in another. It also owns a win over Arkansas, which is 12-1 and recently beat top 15 Texas and Oklahoma.

"They could just as well be 3-1 as they are 0-4," Jacobson said. "Their record has no indication of how they've played and how hard they play."

That message has been delivered to UNI's players.

"We know they're a lot better than 0-4," Dunham said. "We don't look at them as a defeated team. We need to make sure we go out and play physical."

And with road games looming at Evansville and Drake - both teams with 3-1 marks - UNI understands the importance of protecting its home floor.

"Road wins are hard to come by," Dunham said. "Because of that, we can't afford to have any more home losses."

Contact Matt Coss at (319) 291-1468 or matt.coss@wcfcourier.com

GAME TRACKER

Men's basketball

Missouri State (7-8, 0-4) at

Northern Iowa (9-6, 3-1)

When: Today, 7:05 p.m.

Where: Cedar Falls (McLeod Center)

TV: FSN Midwest, Comcast Sports (tape-delayed at 1 a.m. Sunday)

Radio: KXEL (1540 AM)

Line: UNI by 6

Last time out: Missouri State fell 66-61 in overtime at Evansville on Wednesday. UNI compiled its first win in Omaha since 1996 with a 69-66 triumph over Creighton on Tuesday.

Last meeting: Dale Lamberth had 20 points and MSU owned a 38-22 rebounding advantage in a 71-54 victory last February in Springfield. MSU owns a 38-17 series lead, including two of the last three in Cedar Falls.

Need to know: MSU senior guard Spencer Laurie, the team's top 3-point shooter and averaging 10.1 points per game, broke a bone in his non-shooting hand during Wednesday's game at Evansville and is sidelined for at least the next two weeks. Leading scorer Chris Cooks, who missed the first three league games because of concussion symptoms, played 16 minutes Wednesday. … UNI center Jordan Eglseder sprained his right ankle at Creighton and didn't practice Thursday. He's questionable for tonight. … In MVC games, UNI is tied for first in scoring (72.5 ppg.) and shooting a league-best 47 percent from the arc.

Chalk talk: "(MSU) plays extremely hard. They defend very hard, they rebound very hard, they get after loose balls and grind it at you on offense. Everything they do is very physical and done with a lot of intensity. (MSU's) play is certainly a reflection of their head coach."

- UNI coach Ben Jacobson

RPI: MSU 124, UNI 140

Next up: UNI hits the road for its next two games starting at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday at Evansville.

Starting lineups

Missouri State Ht. Yr. Ppg. Rpg.

Knapp 6-8 Sr. 9.1 4.8

Weems 6-6 Fr. 9.2 3.9

Creekmore 6-9 So. 10.1 6.3

Fuehrmeyer 6-0 Jr. 5.9 2.4

Cooks 6-4 Sr. 11.8 5.4

Northern Iowa Ht. Yr. Ppg. Rpg.

Koch 6-8 Jr. 10.7 4.7

Eglseder 7-1 Jr. 10.2 6.7

Farokhmanesh 6-0 Jr. 10.3 2.0

Ahelegbe 6-2 So. 11.3 x-3.5

Moran 6-1 Fr. 10.2 4.1

x - assists per game

- Compiled by Matt Coss, Courier Sports Writer