Two days after picking up its first win at Drake since the 2006-07 season, the SIU women’s basketball team on Sunday won its first game at Northern Iowa since the same year.

The lead changed hands seven times in the first quarter, but the Salukis led for the final 28:02, winning 65-60.

SIU, which improved its overall record to 9-5, is 2-0 in Missouri Valley Conference play for the first time since 2006-07. The Panthers (6-7, 1-1 MVC) got a career-high 28 points from junior guard Madison Weekly, but could not overcome the Salukis.

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Weekly scored all 13 of Northern Iowa’s first-quarter points. Six different Salukis scored in the game’s first period as SIU took a 16-13 lead.

SIU held Weekly scoreless in the second quarter. The Salukis extended their first-half lead to 33-26 on a three-pointer by senior guard Cartaesha Macklin, which bounced on the rim before falling through the cylinder as the buzzer sounded.

Junior point guard Rishonda Napier led SIU with 12 points in the first half. Weekly’s 13 led the Panthers at halftime.

SIU led by as many as 11 points in the second half. Northern Iowa cut that lead to to three with a little more than a minute left in the game, but the Dawgs held on for the win.

Weekly’s 28 points led all scorers. Napier led SIU with 19.

Saluki senior center Dyana Pierre recorded her 45th career double-double with 18 points and 18 rebounds.

SIU’s next game is against Bradley at 6 p.m. Friday at SIU Arena.

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Thomas Donley can be reached at [email protected] or at 536-3307