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I thought it would be good to bring some perspective and do some parallel comparisons.
Now, this is not the same UNI basketball team as was in 2003-04, but I find alot of similarities.
We all loved that team, but most fell in love late in the season...it was truly the beginning of the bandwagon fans of UNI basketball.
That team started 2 seniors, 2 sophomores, and 1 freshman. This team on Sunday will start 2 seniors, 1 junior, 1 sophomore, and 1 freshman.
2003-04 team: 9 players averaging 9+ min/game.
2007-08 team: 10 players averaging 9+ min/game.
Record as of Jan. 19th
2003-04 team: 9-5
2007-08 team: 10-7
Record at the end of the 1st week of February
2003-04 team: 11-8 (3 home losses)
We have to remember that this is a long season and that anything can happen. Teams improve as the season go on. When teams are deep (which UNI is), their fresh legs will wear on people as the season goes on.
Now, am I saying UNI will finish 2nd in the league like the 2003-04 team did? No. But I think that some of us in Pantherland are putting the season in File 13 mode and with it some are tearing at the coach, the players, etc...
There are some differences though between those two teams, however. The 03-04 team had 3 point guards (McKowen, Foster, and Schmit), and when one went down (Foster) late in the year, there was someone to step in. This team doesn't have that as Ahelegbe/Culliver are not factors on this team, and there is no great choice to fill in. Like I said before, Jared Josten is giving 110% and is laying it on the line every night...but he's not a true point guard. It would be great to have JJ be able to break it down off the dribble, and I hope we see him begin to do more of that. There is also one other area that is different between 03-04 and this year's team. Even though they had only one player making greater than 40% from 3 (Schmit), they had a post player who could draw defenders out to the 3 point line in Matt Schneiderman. This team doesn't have that.
When this team begins to hit outside shots (yes, it will happen), this team is going to look really, really good. They can do it.
BTW, that 03-04 team had a freshman on it that played 11 min/game named Stout. He averaged only 3 points per game.
Now, this is not the same UNI basketball team as was in 2003-04, but I find alot of similarities.
We all loved that team, but most fell in love late in the season...it was truly the beginning of the bandwagon fans of UNI basketball.
That team started 2 seniors, 2 sophomores, and 1 freshman. This team on Sunday will start 2 seniors, 1 junior, 1 sophomore, and 1 freshman.
2003-04 team: 9 players averaging 9+ min/game.
2007-08 team: 10 players averaging 9+ min/game.
Record as of Jan. 19th
2003-04 team: 9-5
2007-08 team: 10-7
Record at the end of the 1st week of February
2003-04 team: 11-8 (3 home losses)
We have to remember that this is a long season and that anything can happen. Teams improve as the season go on. When teams are deep (which UNI is), their fresh legs will wear on people as the season goes on.
Now, am I saying UNI will finish 2nd in the league like the 2003-04 team did? No. But I think that some of us in Pantherland are putting the season in File 13 mode and with it some are tearing at the coach, the players, etc...
There are some differences though between those two teams, however. The 03-04 team had 3 point guards (McKowen, Foster, and Schmit), and when one went down (Foster) late in the year, there was someone to step in. This team doesn't have that as Ahelegbe/Culliver are not factors on this team, and there is no great choice to fill in. Like I said before, Jared Josten is giving 110% and is laying it on the line every night...but he's not a true point guard. It would be great to have JJ be able to break it down off the dribble, and I hope we see him begin to do more of that. There is also one other area that is different between 03-04 and this year's team. Even though they had only one player making greater than 40% from 3 (Schmit), they had a post player who could draw defenders out to the 3 point line in Matt Schneiderman. This team doesn't have that.
When this team begins to hit outside shots (yes, it will happen), this team is going to look really, really good. They can do it.
BTW, that 03-04 team had a freshman on it that played 11 min/game named Stout. He averaged only 3 points per game.
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