UNI Heads West for Texas Shoot Out

(St. Louis, MO) – The hottest team in the Missouri Valley Conference has waited a week to find out where they will be placed in the NCAA Tournament. Northern Iowa (22-12) winners of 12 of their last 13 games including the three that made them the MVC’s tournament champion and the Valley’s automatic entry into ‘the Big Dance.’

UNI heads to the national tournament and an 11 seed in the West region. Boasting a team that plays a packed in defense, selfless offense and big game experience, the Panthers take on Shaka Smart and the Texas Longhorns.

It’s Smart’s first year at UT (20-12) and they have impressive wins and disasterous losses. They defeated highly ranked Oklahoma, only to be pummeled by Kansas. The Longhorns split with Iowa State and the Panthers defeated the Cyclones. Their resumes look similar.

Northern Iowa’s Wes Washpun is getting some national attention now after his Arch Madness 2016 Most Outstanding Player award, and the national press is starting to understand that ‘Jake the Giant Killer’ (Head Coach Ben Jacobson) knows how to prepare his team for tournament basketball.

Washpun is as good a big game player as there is in college basketball today. He’ll drive it to the rim, stop and pop the jumper or block your shot at the other end. He will most likely be matched up with UT’s Isaiah Taylor. The all-conference junior averages 15 points per game and runs the Longhorn offense.

This will be a contrast of styles and a match up of two proven postseason coaches. The Longhorns will want to pressure the ball and speed up play, while the Panthers will attempt to milk the clock and force Texas to shoot from outside.

The Big 12’s defensive player of the year is Prince Ibeh. The 6’11 senior averages two blocks per game and is an elite defender on the back side of Shaka Smart’s havoc reeking defense.

Can the Panthers, who seemingly never turn the ball over, withstand the pressurized Longhorn press. It will be a great match up to watch Friday night in Oklahoma City.

Speaking of Oklahoma City, who are we kidding here? It’s practically a home game for Texas, and the game before it is Texas A & M battling Green Bay. The place will be packed with Texans roaring for the little ‘mid-majors’ to get out of the way so the true Texans can battle it out.

The West Region also contains Oklahoma and Baylor. It’s like an old Big 12 or Southwest Conference Tournament. May the Panthers wreck the party.

Do Good