GAME NOTES: The red-hot Creighton Bluejays will try to remain in the win column when they take on the Northern Iowa Panthers in a Missouri Valley Conference tilt at the McLeod Center. The Bluejays have been extremely tough to beat this season, in fact the team has won 12 of its first 15 games. Creighton is currently in the midst of a three-game winning streak and that includes a 68-65 victory over Wichita State this past Saturday. Creighton, which is 3-2 in league play thus far, has accumulated a 25-11 record against MVC competition over the two previous seasons. As for the Panthers, they have lost their last three contests, including a heartbreaking, 75-73 loss to Bradley this past weekend. All three setbacks were against conference opponents, dropping the team's league mark to 2-3 on the year. UNI has had some success at home, posting a 6-3 ledger at the McLeod Center this year. Creighton has won 11 of the last 12 matchups against Northern Iowa and now has a solid 23-11 mark in the all-time series.

The Bluejays' success this year can be attributed to the team's play at the defensive end of the floor, as Creighton is limiting opponents to a mere 62.4 ppg, and only 41.5 percent shooting from the field. The last time Creighton was on the court the team held Wichita State to just 65 points en route to a three-point victory. P'Allen Stinnett, who is averaging 11.8 ppg on the season, led the way in the win with 16 points and also pulled down five rebounds. Nick Bahe added 15 points, while the team's leading scorer, Dane Watts (13.0 ppg), contributed just seven points in the win. On the season, Creighton has been decent offensively, averaging 74.9 ppg, while shooting 46.2 percent from the floor. The team has also done well on the glass, outrebounding the opposition by 5.0 rpg.

It is shocking that the Panthers are four games over .500, especially when considering how inconsistent the team has been offensively. Northern Iowa is scoring just 64.4 ppg, while shooting 44.6 percent from the field. Eric Coleman has been one of the only real constants for UNI, as the forward is posting 12.4 ppg and 8.9 rpg. Jared Josten is second on the squad with 11.4 ppg, while Jordan Eglseder is contributing 10.5 ppg and 7.1 rpg. Northern Iowa scored 73 points the last time the team was on the court, but that was still not good enough for a victory, as the Panthers fell to Bradley by a two-point margin. In the loss, UNI shot a sizzling 54.5 percent from the field and also made 20- of-24 attempts from the foul line. Coleman posted a double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Josten also added 21 points. Eglseder chipped in 10 points in just 15 minutes off the bench.

If the Panthers can perform at a higher level offensively, the team has a shot at defeating Creighton this evening. However, that could be a tough task against a defensively solid Bluejay squad.