UNI’s Nate Heise: Back & Better Than Ever

The Supply Chain is Better

(St. Louis, MO) – Northern Iowa’s Nate Heise missed all but two games last season, but he is back and better than ever. After an ‘All-Freshman Team’ rookie season and a sophomore campaign where the Panthers won the regular season title, last season he was poised to star.

An injured hand ended his season and derailed the UNI title hopes. Sturdy defensively and a dependable three-point shooter, this ‘Supply Chain Management’ major is a recognized leader and understands the UNI schemes and culture better than most.

His absence was pronounced. For the second time in three seasons, Bowen Born was thrust into the primary scorer, distributor and leader role. Born rose to the occasion and landed on the Missouri Valley Conference’s second team, all-conference squad. Others stepped into larger roles and were honored for it, but the absence of Heise and center Austin Phyfe was too much to overcome.

UNI finished 14-18 and 9-11 in Valley play.

“Wikipedia” says ‘Supply Chain Management’ “deals with the flow of goods within the supply chain in the most efficient manner.” Heise’s tangibles and intangibles are all about causing UNI to succeed “in the most efficient manner”.

He is tied with Born as the team’s leading scorer (14.4 points per game), he leads th team in assists, three-pointers and is second in rebounding. While he leads the team in minutes played and assist/turnover margin, according to KenPom Heise is UNI’s most efficient player in eight different categories.

Benefits of a Year Off

His hand injury forced him to miss all but two games and he couldn’t practice, but Heise has seen the proverbial ‘silver lining’ in his year away from action. The 6’5 junior saw growth in his own understanding of the game and watched as teammates took on more responsibility and grew into their games.

 

 

Tytan Anderson was named as the Valley’s ‘Most Improved Team’ captain. Freshman Michael Duax, Trey Campbell and Landon Wolf stepped into huge roles. Campbell started all 32 of last season’s games averaging 7.5 points per game. The Cedar Falls native was a serious three-point threat and played solid defense.

Duax and Wolf were named to all-Valley honors. Duax was an ‘all-freshman’ team member and Wolf earned ‘all-bench team’ honors. Each appeared in all 32 Panther games.

Those players continue to contribute this season and Heise sees the ‘supply chain’ advantages.

Better Than Ever

All of Heise’s numbers are better, the team is winning games and the overall product is better, but it didn’t come easily. Defensive struggles, second half collapses and meshing so much talent back together didn’t come easily.

Along with Heise’s return there was the addition of Loyola Chicago transfer Jacob Hutson to play the post. UNI had seven, legitimate starting caliber players and coming up with the right combinations wasn’t automatic.

UNI started 2-6 with one of those two wins coming against a non-Division 1 opponent. They’ve gone eight and two since then and success started with better defense and the understanding of roles. Heise sees the early season as some missed opportunities, but he’s encouraged by the supply chain improvement.

 

 

Blending the talent has been a challenge but head coach Ben Jacobson seems to have landed on a rotation where players know their roles and are able to play with confidence.

 

 

Heise says defensive improvement has come from more cohesion and some hard holiday practice times.

 

 

On The Verge of History

Earlier this season Jacobson passed former Creighton and Saint Louis University coach Eddie Hickey for second on the all-time wins list at a Missouri Valley school with 338. He now has 345. Wednesday’s win gave the 18-year veteran, conference win 187, tying him with the legendary Henry P. Iba for the Valley’s top spot.

Neither Jacobson nor his players made a big deal about it, but Heise says he is happy for and has great respect for his coach.

 

 

Heise and the Panthers are back and better than ever. They’ve won three straight games and seven of their last eight. At 4-3 in league play UNI is two games out of first place. While Drake and Indiana State are tied at the top with 6-1 records, Bradley and Murray State are 5-2. UNI, Southern Illinois and Belmont are tied for fifth through seventh places.

Of those top seven teams, four play one another on Saturday. Belmont visits red-hot Bradley and the Panthers entertain SIU.

An injury to eventual NBA player A.J. Green derailed Heise’s freshman year and the team won just ten games. During his sophomore season, Heise played alongside Green on his way to a Larry Bird Trophy season and a UNI conference title. Injuries plagued last year’s 14-win team.

Visit Valley Hoops Insider Podcasts to listen to our entire conversation.

Heise is back and better than ever. UNI has become a possible contender in the crowded upper half of the Valley standings. The supply chain management major and his teammates may be efficient enough to win.

Do Good

Editor: Cover photo courtesy of unipanthers.com.