March Moments – ‘Down Goes Kansas!’

UNI’s ‘Scrabble Squad’ Was Sweet

(St. Louis, MO) – Northern Iowa’s run to the 2010 Sweet Sixteen was one for the history books. There were two, last-second shots and a defeat of the nation’s top ranked team that were a part of the mix. While winning huge games, the names of the players on that team contained so many letters, they could have been nicknamed ‘Scrabble Squad’.

After an outstanding 2008-09 season ended during the NCAA Tournament’s opening round, the veteran-ladened roster was poised for great things. Long time broadcaster Gary Rima knew the team would be good and expected the Panthers to defend both their Missouri Valley Conference regular season title (they were co-champions) and their Arch Madness championship.

How good would Ben Jacobson’s team actually be? Rima didn’t predict a Sweet Sixteen appearance, but he believed the Panthers would be really good.

 

 

Jacobson seemed to know they could be special. Rima says Jaccobson, then coaching his fourth UNI team, was grooming his squad to reach peak performance during March.

 

 

After winning the Valley’s regular season title, the Panthers won their second straight Arch Madness trophy. UNI was 28-4 and headed for March Madness.

Scrabble Squad

UNI was filled with players with difficult to pronounce names. Kwadzo Ahelgebe, Jordan Eglseder, Ali Farokhmanesh were the impossible name head-liners. Valley ‘Player of the Year‘ Adam Koch’s name was often mispronounced because it’s pronounced ‘cook’, not ‘coke’. Coach Jacobson shared the exact name of a former UNI star and outsiders wondered if he was the same person.

Perhaps that was an advantage. UNI carried a nine seed into the NCAA Tournament. Most people remember the Panthers’ second round win over Kansas, but it took a last second shot by Farokhmanesh to catapult UNI into the tournament’s second round. His triple snapped a 66-all tie and a 20-year NCAA Tournament winless streak.

He finished with 17 points. Ahelegbe added 13. The sigh of relief in Cedar Falls was audible. Since top ranked Kansas next on the schedule, most Panther fans were satisfied with earning one March Madness game.

Rima says Jacobson’s team was not satisfied and expected to accomplish more.

 

 

While no one gave UNI a chance against top-ranked Kansas, the Panthers took the lead at 3-2 and never relinquished the lead. Farokhmanesh led the way with 16 points and Eglseder added 14. During the final moments, with Kansas pressing, Farokhmanesh hit one of the biggest shots in UNI history.

Rima’s call of that history-making shot is priceless.

 

 

As the game ended, no one can forget Rima’s “Down Goes Kansas, Down Goes Kansas!”. 69-67 was the final and UNI ascended to the Sweet Sixteen.

UNI dropped its Elite Eight game 59-52 to Michigan State. Koch and Ahelegbe scored 13 and 12 points respectively. The Panthers would finish the season with a program record 30 wins.  A number they topped in 2015.

SI Called It Divine Madness

The Kansas win and experience is the highlight of Rima’s play-by-play career. ‘March Madness’ is real and the exhilaration is tangible. The veteran broadcaster is intimately linked to the Panther program. His great respect for coach Jacobson is evident.

 

 

While Rima calls the Kansas game the highlight of his broadcasting career, these deep tournament runs are shared by all Missouri Valley fans.

 

 

After this season’s title, UNI returns a solid core of players including ‘Player of the Year‘ A.J. Green, Austin Phyfe and Trae Berhow. The regular season title was Jacobson’s first since the 2010 season. During his 14 campaigns in Cedar Falls the Panthers have won four Arch Madness titles. His career mark of 291 wins is the most by any current Valley head coach.

For our entire interview with Gary Rima head to Valley Hoops Insider Podcasts.

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