VALPARAISO, Ind. (Interstat) — The Northern Iowa Panthers seek to climb above .500 for the first time this season when they visit the struggling Valparaiso Beacons in a Missouri Valley Conference women’s basketball matchup Monday. The Panthers (5-6) enter the contest at the Athletics-Recreation Center with momentum from a 58-40 road win at Saint Thomas (Minn.) on Dec. 21. Valparaiso (0-12) is still searching for its first victory after a 91-41 home loss to Central Michigan on Dec. 17. Northern Iowa has shown recent improvement, winning three of its last five games. Guard Bri Robinson has been a key catalyst, averaging 10.6 points over that stretch. She scored a season-high 19 points in 29 minutes in the win over Saint Thomas, flanked by Ryley Goebel (13 points) and Jenna Twedt (11 points). The Panthers’ defense has been stout in victories, holding opponents to an average of 51.5 points in their five wins. They will face a Valparaiso offense that has been held under 50 points in seven of its 12 losses. The Beacons’ primary offensive threat is guard Allia von Schlegell, who has scored in double figures in three of her last four outings. She posted 18 points in consecutive games against Western Michigan and SIU Edwardsville earlier this month. However, Valparaiso has struggled with consistency, losing by an average margin of 24.8 points per game. This game opens the MVC slate for both teams. Northern Iowa will look to establish an early conference foothold before a quick turnaround at Illinois-Chicago on Wednesday. Valparaiso begins a challenging stretch of three conference games in six days, hosting the Panthers before road trips to Indiana State and Evansville. Historically, Northern Iowa has dominated the series, winning the last 11 meetings. The Panthers won both matchups last season by an average of 25 points. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. EST Monday at the Athletics-Recreation Center.