The University of Northern Iowa women's basketball team remained undefeated in Missouri Valley Conference play with a decisive 91-64 win over Southern Illinois on January 4, 2026, in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Panthers dominated from the start, building a substantial lead and securing their fourth straight conference victory. Ryley Goebel led the way with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Returning home after nearly a month on the road, the UNI Panthers faced the Southern Illinois Salukis at the McLeod Center. UNI jumped out early, with Ryley Goebel scoring the team's first five points to help establish a 14-4 lead. The Panthers extended their advantage with nine straight points, ending the first quarter ahead 22-14.
In the second quarter, UNI went on a 12-0 run, featuring two three-pointers from Jenna Twedt, to push the lead to 20 points at 34-14. Southern Illinois responded with an 11-4 spurt, but UNI closed the half with seven unanswered points, entering halftime with a 45-24 advantage. Goebel paced the Panthers with 15 points and eight rebounds in the first half, while Elise Jaeger contributed seven rebounds and three steals.
The third quarter saw UNI mount a 13-4 run to open, followed by 10 more straight points, ballooning the lead to 42. A buzzer-beater from Mya Nicholson gave UNI a 73-37 edge heading into the fourth. Southern Illinois mounted a late 27-18 quarter, including a 17-point stretch, but could not close the gap.
Goebel finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks, marking her fifth double-double of the season. Kaylynn Janes scored a career-high 17 points on seven field goals, Bri Robinson added 16 points and five assists, and Jaeger grabbed nine rebounds with three steals. Nicholson notched a career-high eight points, while Lauren Walker achieved career highs of six points—including her first collegiate three-pointer—four rebounds, and three steals.
"I thought we played great from start to finish," said head coach Tanya Warren. "We did a lot of good things both offensively and defensively. Our emphasis defensively was to limit second-chance points and rebound the basketball and I think we did a terrific job of that."
The victory improves UNI to 8-6 overall and 4-0 in MVC play, their best conference start since 2016-17 when they won eight straight to open the season. UNI extended its program-record 560-game three-pointer streak with eight makes against the Salukis. The Panthers hold a 52-35 all-time series lead over Southern Illinois.
