The UNI Panthers try to regain their winning ways tonight when they host Wichita State in Missouri Valley Conference play. The Panthers are 6-4 in the conference after road losses to Southern Illinois and Drake. The Shockers are looking to regain the form that vaulted them into the top ten in December before hitting the skids at the start of conference play.

The Shockers have won their last two games, including a 66-61 win at Evansville and they stand 5-6 in the Valley. Panther coach Ben Jacobson says a lot has been made of the Shockers quick start and then the losses that dropped them down. Jacobson says they have a very good basketball team. He says the Panthers need to play better on defense than they did in a 74-61 loss at Drake.

Jacobson says fatigue was not a factor in the two losses. He says he didn’t feel like they were tired at all mentally or physically, they just made too many mistakes.

It is an early 6:05 tip off in the McLeod Center. The game will be televised by ESPN2.