Southern Illinois Stuns Northern Iowa with 15-Point Upset Victory

In a shocking turn of events, Southern Illinois pulled off a stunning 65-50 upset over Northern Iowa at the Banterra Center. The Salukis, who were predicted to win by a mere 1.2 points according to CHD Scout, defied expectations with a dominating performance that left the Panthers reeling. This outcome is all the more remarkable considering Northern Iowa's 13-9 record and net ranking of 98, making this a significant upset for Southern Illinois.

The game got off to a slow start, with Southern Illinois leading 27-19 at halftime. However, the Salukis came out strong in the second half, outscoring Northern Iowa 38-31 to secure the 15-point victory. Rolyns Aligbe was the star of the show, putting up an impressive 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead Southern Illinois to the win. Quel'Ron House also had a notable performance, chipping in 17 points and 5 assists to help the Salukis' cause.

On the other side, Northern Iowa's Will Hornseth did his best to keep the Panthers in the game, scoring 14 points to lead his team. Ben Schwieger also had a solid outing, contributing 10 points and 7 rebounds. However, it wasn't enough to overcome the Salukis' balanced attack, which saw three players score in double figures.

CHD Scout's pre-game prediction was correct, albeit with a much larger margin of victory than anticipated. The actual score of 65-50 was a far cry from the predicted 68-67 nail-biter, with Southern Illinois exceeding expectations in impressive fashion.

This upset victory has real consequences for both teams' tournament chances. For Southern Illinois, the win marks a crucial Q3 victory, which could help bolster their resume come selection time. On the other hand, Northern Iowa's loss is a Q3 defeat, which may hurt their chances of making a deep postseason run.

As it stands, Southern Illinois improves to 9-12 on the season, while Northern Iowa falls to 13-9. While the Salukis still have work to do to get back into the tournament conversation, this win is a major step in the right direction. Meanwhile, the Panthers must regroup and refocus in order to get their season back on track. The resume implications of this result are clear: Southern Illinois has taken a significant step forward, while Northern Iowa has taken a step back.