Saving Northern Iowa’s Season

(St. Louis, MO) – One month ago Northern Iowa’s basketball season was over. After two non-conference upsets of top ranked teams, a four game losing streak dropped their record to 10-11 and Panther fans were relegated to watching Ben Jacobson’s team ‘play out the string.’

Despite having a team full of veterans that were obviously capable of playing with any team in the country, UNI had won just two of their first eight Missouri Valley games and extending their 12-year string of finishing at .500 or above in the Valley seemed as likely as Donald Trump becoming President….. oh wait.

One month later the Panthers have won seven of their last eight games, including another upset of a nationally ranked team, and UNI is 9-7 in league play and has a fighting chance to be a top four team at Arch Madness 2016. With 17 wins and two regular season games and the Valley tournament before them, it is conceivable that the Panthers could finish the season with 20 wins for the seventh time in the last eight seasons.

Post-season basketball, was completely off the table one month ago and is now a very real possibility. But how did all this happen? How did ‘Jake the Giant Killer’ get this done? Beating North Carolina is one thing. Turning around a 10-11 team in mid-season is quite another.

It Starts With Defense

Jacobson and the Panthers have long been known for their defensive prowess, but prior to this eight game streak, Northern Iowa was allowing just under 67 points per game. During the eight-game run, they have yielded an average of 59.

They say defense wins championships and apparently it can end some losing streaks too. The three highest scoring teams in the Valley, Evansville, Southern Illinois and Wichita State all score more than 74 points per game and none reached the 60 point mark against the Panthers.

Young Players Emerging

All season Coach Jacobson has been preaching to anyone that would listen that his young interior players were going to make a difference. 6’9 sophomore Bennett Koch and 6’7 sophomore Clint Carlson were players he was betting on, but on January 23, the dice weren’t landing on the proper side.

During the eight game ride Koch is averaging 10 points per game, compared to 7.6 before that and his grabbing five rebounds, as compared to 2.9. His older brothers would be proud. Carlson’s numbers have ticked up too, but not as dramatically.

Coach Jacobson says the Panther sophomore class has emerged as valuable members of the team. He says Wyatt Lohaus is playing his best basketball of the season, Koch is their ‘go to’ guy on the block and that Carlson is a ‘wild card.’

 

 

The life, energy and production have been noticeable.

Reliable Seniors

Jacobson has a unique blend of senior leadership. Point guard Wes Washpun slashes to the basket, makes big shots and plays his best basketball against the best competition.

Matt Bohannon is the all-time Panther leader in three-point baskets and has the nerves of Ben Carson doing brain surgery.

Paul Jesperson has emerged late in his second season in Cedar Falls. He’s had to play somewhat out of position all season, but seems to be finding his role and scoring touch during the stretch drive.

Jacobson says his seniors have been very good, but the growth of the sophomores has given them seven weapons rather than four.

 

 

This is a dangerous team come tournament time.

Do Good