Hey Jake...

[bobsboy84]

Re: Hey Jake...

I thought the guards' defensive intensity was good; Brackins had a big night; we needed to make a reasonable amount of 3's (even 30% and we run away with the game Egleseder's defense and rebounding is poor; Kock and O'Rear play ok defense; Jake is fine.

[Panther789]

Re: Hey Jake...

If you think the drop off from Eldon Miller to Sam Weaver wasn't worse than this than you have only recently become a UNI basketball fan.

When Miller left, the program was nowhere near where it was when Mac left.

[SteinPizza]

Re: Hey Jake...

I thought the guards' defensive intensity was good; Brackins had a big night; we needed to make a reasonable amount of 3's (even 30% and we run away with the game Egleseder's defense and rebounding is poor; Kock and O'Rear play ok defense; Jake is fine.

We seem to miss a "reasonable amount of 3's" in a lot of games. Like I said, this goes back to Mac. For all the good play of guys like Benny, Crawford, Viet, etc., they missed a lot of open looks in big games. I still remember the Georgetown game in the NCAA a few years ago - I had to remind myself not to pull my hair out after they missed a lot of open 3's. This has continued into Jake's tenure.

[Panther Cat]

Re: Hey Jake...

You guys must not have been around when we were winning 8 games a year. I for one have been going to games since 1983 a lot of those years I didn't have a choice as I was too young, but I have seen too many bad UNI basketball teams to say this is a collapse of massive proportions. We have still won 18 games two years in a row. You guys are becoming as fickle as the Iowa fans who want to fire Kirk Ferentz. Give me a break! Go back to Hawkeyereport!

That is what I've been trying to say. Most of the people that post here are young and don't understand where the program is right now. Could we be better? Of course. But If you would have been here during Weaver's day you would be surprised that we are winning 10 games a year now. Nobody is settling for what we have done, but we all have appreciated where the program is now compared to where it has been.

Yes we went to 3 straight NCAA tournaments, but if Ben Jacobson doesn't get hot in the MVC tourny we don't go to the first one, and then we might not have gotten in the next two years because we still wouldn't have been recognized. That's all speculation of course, but these past few teams are not too far off from where we were when we were going to the tournament. A few braeks here and there and we are right there. Like Mac said after they went to the first tournament "we welcome anyone who wants to jump on the bandwagon." People have and now are trying to jump off.

[Khan4Cats]

Re: Hey Jake...

I sure hope we arent peaking.

I never said we were at a peak. We weren't at a peak under Mac, either. We have reached a leveling point. (So has the entire Valley, in my opinion). I think we have built more depth and have more all-around talent than we have had in the past. We just need that talent to actually perform on a consistent basis.

Iowa State's team reminded me a lot of UNI under Mac. One player (Brackins) taking nearly 50% of the shots (Benny J) a couple of role players, and almost no depth.

We are similar but not the same. We don't have an established "go-to" guy, but I also think we have more players capable of putting up big numbers.

[UNIAlum95]

Re: Hey Jake...

Oh for the days of watching Panther basketball in the dome with 100 of your closest friends. Walk in 2 minutes before tip and grab a seat 5 rows behind the bench. Have things so quiet you can listen to the coach in the huddle. Not being able to in bound the ball. Not scoring for the first 8 minutes of a game. We definitely aren't at rock bottom. The frustrating thing is we have the talent to win games like last night but don't get it done often enough.

[Khan4Cats]

Re: Hey Jake...

Yes we went to 3 straight NCAA tournaments, but if Ben Jacobson doesn't get hot in the MVC tourny we don't go to the first one, and then we might not have gotten in the next two years because we still wouldn't have been recognized. That's all speculation of course, but these past few teams are not too far off from where we were when we were going to the tournament. A few braeks here and there and we are right there. Like Mac said after they went to the first tournament "we welcome anyone who wants to jump on the bandwagon." People have and now are trying to jump off.

Thank you. I have been trying to say that on here for a while.

[Panther789]

Re: Hey Jake...

Thank you. I have been trying to say that on here for a while.

Last night's game is a perfect example.

You went on and on about how Mac won some close games and got some "lucky bounces."

Last night, we hit a huge 3 to send the game into OT, and we dont get it done.

At some point, you have to recognize a trend.

[Panther789]

Re: Hey Jake...

We have reached a leveling point.

Unfortunately, our "leveling point" involved a drop in over 100 in the RPI.

[SteinPizza]

Re: Hey Jake...

Like Mac said after they went to the first tournament "we welcome anyone who wants to jump on the bandwagon." People have and now are trying to jump off.

Panther Cat, I agree with you somewhat. Understand though, that people's expectations have been raised, and that's good. As an alum, I want to see my school compete at a national level and gain exposure. To do that, the program needs to take a step above where it's at now.

Unfortunatley, I think Kahn is correct, and the MVC as a whole has leveled off a bit. I can't remember a marquis win by an MVC team against a quality BCS opponent for the past two seasons. We've had some chances too. If only Wichita St. had upset Michigan St., but that's another thread...

[Khan4Cats]

Re: Hey Jake...

Unfortunately, our "leveling point" involved a drop in over 100 in the RPI.

Again the drop in RPI corresponds with the League as a whole. Yes, the league has stayed around 8th overall, but the gap between the top 5/6 conferences and the next few has widened considerably, while the middle gap (8-14) has closed.

[Panther789]

Re: Hey Jake...

Again the drop in RPI corresponds with the League as a whole. Yes, the league has stayed around 8th overall, but the gap between the top 5/6 conferences and the next few has widened considerably, while the middle gap (8-14) has closed.

1. Can you produce evidence of this?

2. You miss the entire point of the RPI. It takes into account your strength of schedule, as well as your winning percentage. If your RPI goes down, it is not a valid response to say, "well the whole league is down." If your SOS goes down, and you win more games, you can achieve the same RPI. Thats the whole point. Its easier to win more games when your SOS is down.

[Khan4Cats]

Re: Hey Jake...

Last night's game is a perfect example.

You went on and on about how Mac won some close games and got some "lucky bounces."

Last night, we hit a huge 3 to send the game into OT, and we dont get it done.

At some point, you have to recognize a trend.

Yes, we hit the 3 at the end. It was a prayer that was answered. Personally, I wish Kerwin would look to shoot more.

How did he get that open look? Oh yeah, we actually drove the lane and dished back out, something we didn't do for most of the second half, and didn't really do in OT.

We also ran a play that gave Koch a great look at a 3 that would have tied it in OT. He missed. That was the same play we ran 3 years ago against SIU that Grant Stout hit the shot to send it to OT.

So 1 for 2 on the lucky bounces last night.

[jegbomb52]

Re: Hey Jake...

Sorry, we are at .500 the last three years in conference and against BCS confrences, not below. 6 seed = bottom half of the conference. Sure, we made a drop after Miller, but the program wasn't even remotely close to where it was when Mac left. I understand that we are in a better place right now than where we were when we played in front of 100 people in the dome and won 10 games.

Everyone thinks I am crazy, tell me a bigger decline in Panther Athletics History?

[Panther789]

Re: Hey Jake...

Yes, we hit the 3 at the end. It was a prayer that was answered. Personally, I wish Kerwin would look to shoot more.

How did he get that open look? Oh yeah, we actually drove the lane and dished back out, something we didn't do for most of the second half, and didn't really do in OT.

We also ran a play that gave Koch a great look at a 3 that would have tied it in OT. He missed. That was the same play we ran 3 years ago against SIU that Grant Stout hit the shot to send it to OT.

So 1 for 2 on the lucky bounces last night.

If every 3 point shot that goes in the air is a "lucky bounce" it is a wonder how programs remain successful over long periods of time.