UNI Prepares For Home-Opener Without Fans

The UNI men's basketball team will play five more games before starting Missouri Valley Conference play.

The Panthers have added St. Ambrose to their 2020-21 schedule. According to a press release, UNI is preparing to face the Fighting Bees on Friday night at 6 p.m. at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, no fans will be allowed inside the arena. UNI athletic officials said they plan to re-evaluate the pandemic situation later this month, ahead of a December 12 home game against Green Bay.

Friday's contest against St. Ambrose will be the home-opener for the Panthers (0-3), who are hoping to bounce back from a sluggish start to the season. UNI played three games at the Crossover Classic in Sioux Falls, S.D. last week, but failed to record a victory.

The Panthers are scheduled to play at No. 19 Richmond on December 9, before hosting The Phoenix. UNI's other non-conference games are December 16 at No. 4 Wisconsin and December 19 at Marshall.

Coach Ben Jacobson's team is favored to win the Missouri Valley Conference title this season. League play for the Panthers is scheduled to start on December 30, when they host Missouri State.