Preview: Northern Iowa Panthers at Saint Mary’s Gaels MORAGA, Calif. (Interstat) — Two of the nation’s hotter mid-major men’s basketball teams will meet Monday when the Northern Iowa Panthers visit the Saint Mary’s Gaels at McKeon Pavilion. Both teams enter the nonconference showdown with strong early-season resumes. The Gaels (10-2) have won eight of their last nine, including an 88-75 victory over Florida Atlantic last Friday. The Panthers (9-2) have won two straight and seven of their last eight, coming off a 60-54 road win at Illinois-Chicago on Wednesday. The matchup features a compelling clash in the backcourt. Saint Mary’s is led by guard Joshua Dent, who is coming off a season-high 24 points and six assists against Florida Atlantic. Over his last three games, Dent is averaging 20.3 points and 5.7 assists, serving as the engine for the Gaels’ offense. Northern Iowa counters with its own standout guard in Will Hornseth. The Panthers’ player to watch has scored 15 or more points in three of his last five meaningful outings, including 15 points, three assists and a block in 32 minutes in the win at UIC. His backcourt mate, Trey Campbell, also scored 15 in that contest. Saint Mary’s has been dominant at home, winning all six games in Moraga this season by an average margin of 38.2 points. Northern Iowa has proven resilient on the road, however, with a 4-2 record away from Cedar Falls, including an overtime victory at UC Irvine. The Gaels’ two losses came by a combined eight points, a one-point setback at Boise State and a 25-point defeat at Vanderbilt. The Panthers’ defeats were also narrow, falling in overtime to Wichita State and by three points at Tulsa. This game marks the final nonconference tune-up for Saint Mary’s before it opens West Coast Conference play at Loyola Marymount on Dec. 28. Northern Iowa will return home to begin Missouri Valley Conference action against Valparaiso on Dec. 29. Monday’s contest is scheduled for a 9 p.m. EST tip-off.