Cedar Falls, IA (SportsNetwork.com) - The top two teams in the Missouri Valley Conference are each shooting for their 20th win on the season, as the 18th- ranked Northern Iowa Panthers host the 12th-ranked Wichita State Shockers at the McLeod Center on Saturday afternoon. For UNI, which has won 13 straight home games, this is the first time it will compete in a contest where both programs are nationally ranked. Overall, the team has won eight consecutive outings and 10 of the last 11, with the lone defeat coming by three points (52-49) versus Evansville to start off the new year. The Panthers most recently took down Southern Illinois on Wednesday night in a 59-52 final on the road, giving them nine total wins away from home, which is tied for the second-most nationally. The program also moved to 8-1 in conference play, which left it behind only WSU in the MVC standings entering the weekend. Doing UNI one better in the consecutive wins department, the Shockers have ripped off nine straight and are undefeated in league play. The squad has won 15 of the last 16 outings overall, save for a Christmas Day setback to George Washington in the title game of the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii. Also in action on Wednesday, WSU posted a 58-47 win over Loyola at home in order to remain on top in the league standings. Northern Iowa clings to a narrow 25-24 edge in the all-time series, although the Shockers have won six of the last seven matchups. The teams are also set to close out the regular season against each other four weeks from now in Kansas. The Shockers forced 16 turnovers and kept the Ramblers from producing a single double-digit scorer earlier this week in a double-digit home win. Fred VanVleet led the offensive attack for Wichita State with 27 points, shooting 10-of-16 from the floor, including 4-of-7 behind the 3-point line. Ron Baker chipped in with 16 points as he too shot the ball well beyond the arc (3- of-6). Had the game been any closer the Shockers might have been concerned with their 40.7 percent accuracy from the floor and mere 6-of-14 shooting at the free-throw line, but that wasnt the case. The MVC Preseason Player of the Year, VanVleet is one of three players scoring in double figures during conference play with his 11.0 ppg. He is shooting 52.3 percent from the field and is also a reliable source for offense at the free-throw line where he has made good on 81.5 percent of his attempts. In addition, the guard has issued 51 assists in nine starts, against only 14 turnovers. As a unit, the Shockers are turning the ball over less than eight times per game in conference, which goes a long way in providing the team with a scoring advantage of 16.7 ppg. UNI actually trailed at the half against the Salukis, but that was before the Panthers put together a 22-3 scoring run in the second half to assume control and capture the seven-point road win in Carbondale. Seth Tuttle produced a double-double for the visitors with 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, his scoring output matched by Paul Jesperson who converted 3-of-4 shots out on the perimeter and 5-of-6 from the floor overall. Nate Buss pitched in with 11 points off the bench for a squad that made good on 52.6 percent from the field and got away with just three offensive rebounds. When the Panthers are seeking a spark they almost always turn to Tuttle who, in conference play, leads the group in scoring (16.7 ppg), rebounding (7.4 rpg) and assists (26), leaving no stone unturned in an effort to keep the unit successful. Deon Mitchell (7.1 ppg) is the second-best scoring option believe it or not, thanks mostly to his 11-of-22 effort beyond the arc in those nine outings. However, as long as the Panthers are able to limit league foes to just 50.2 ppg on 35.6 percent shooting from the floor, the team wont need much more than Tuttle to get by. China Jerseys Cheap . - John Elways philosophy is to address immediate needs in free agency, even though some of his own veterans may prove too pricey to keep around. China Jerseys Wholesale . Or maybe he already did. Clark hit his first homer, Wily Peralta pitched into the seventh inning, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Miami Marlins 4-1 Wednesday night. https://www.chinasjerseys.com/. The underachieving franchise finished 17th in the 19-team league with a 6-17-11 record this season. "Our soccer team is absolutely in complete disarray," said Leiweke, drawing laughs during an Empire Club luncheon speech about the future of MLSE teams and plans to improve them. China Jerseys 2021 . -- Theres been so much talk about Mike Moustakas at the plate that the third baseman ignored the conversation Wednesday -- even after doing something positive. China Jerseys 2022 . Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Doug Martin broke the news that hes cleared for full activity moving forward.Having won back-to-back games for just the second time this season, the Calgary Flames will try to extend their winning run on Friday night as they play host to the Colorado Avalanche. Following a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles on Nov. 30, the Flames picked up consecutive wins for the first time since Oct. 9-11 as they bested the Phoenix Coyotes 4-1 on Wednesday night. Defenseman Mark Giordano had a goal and an assist in his return to the lineup, while T.J. Brodie also scored and helped set up another. Mikael Backlund and Lee Stempniak added goals for the Flames, who are trying to win three in a row for the first time this season. That should be easier to accomplish with Giordano back after he missed the last 18 games with a broken ankle. The 30-year-old captain logged 20 minutes and 28 seconds of ice time in his first game since Oct. 21, providing a much-needed spark to the Calgary lineup. "The way that this guy works in the gym, the way that he prepares ... hes the ultimate pro and thats why hes our captain," Calgary head coach Bob Hartley said of Giordano. Hartley got 29 saves from Karri Ramo, who had been in net for both games of this win streak and will make his third start in a row tonight. Ramo is now 4-4-1 with a 3.00 goals against average this season and has lost both of his previous career starts versus the Avalanche. That includes a 4-2 setback in Colorado on Nov. 8, when he gave up three goals on 26 shots faced. That defeat snapped the Flames two-game win streak over the Avs and Colorado has won five of the last seven meetings overall. Colorado has lost five of its past seven in Calgaryy and will give Jean- Sebastien Giguere the start tonight.dddddddddddd He is 18-13-1 with a pair of ties and a 2.34 GAA lifetime versus the Flames, making 30 saves in the home victory in November. Giguere is 6-0-0 with a 1.62 GAA and two shutouts in seven starts overall this season. His scheduled start tonight was part of the reason Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy kept Semyon Varlamov in net for the duration of last nights 8-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Varlamov made just 20 saves and three of the goals he allowed came with less than five minutes to play. Roy said he felt the game was closer than the score indicated and didnt put any of the blame on his goaltender. "I could have pulled him after the fourth goal, but I thought that would have been unfair," said Roy. "They scored two breakaways, a 2-on-1 situation, a power play, perfect shot. To bring (Giguere) in with three minutes left when its 5-2 I think would have been unfair to him too. Hes scheduled to play (Saturday). Going in cold, hurt his groin, were not in a better position." Nick Holden and PA Parenteau did score second-period goals to make it a 3-2 game before the Oilers pulled away. "We knew before the game that its a team that would be dangerous if we exchanged chances with them. We just played into their game tonight and we need to learn from it," Roy admitted. Colorado, which had won two straight and five of six coming in, went 0-for-6 on the power play and are 0-for-15 in the past five games. The Avs lost the opener of their three-game swing through Western Canada and visit Vancouver on Sunday. ' ' '