Saturday is the Most Important Regular Season Game in UNI History

[UNI MadCat]

I’ve been thinking about this for the past 12 hours or so and there is little doubt in my mind that Saturday is the most important regular season game in UNI history. Two others that stand out are, of course, Iowa in 1990 and I think Bucknell in the Bracketbuster. However, in both cases, a win did nothing to help us capture a conference title despite the maginitude and hype surrounding each. (And of course, the fact that we won both in classic games only adds to the lore of those two.) Many will argue that SIU in the Dome or Benny’s shot at WSU were on par – but going into it there was no immediate ‘prize’ to be had besides the momentum each win gave us. And if we had lost either of them, we wouldn’t likely be sitting here saying, “if only we could have won those two games…” This one is different. Win or lose, we will talk about Saturday’s game for a long, long time whereas virtually any of the above (or others you can think of) would have faded in our memories if the team had lost.

So... in case you’ve been under a rock... a win Saturday gives this team a chance to…

• Hang the first “MVC Champion” banner in school history (though really, since we’ll have effectively won this thing on the road, shouldn’t we hang them up in those schools’ arenas? )
• Log the first conference basketball championship of any kind since UNI went D-1 (unless you count ’81-82 though but I don’t think we technically do… can someone confirm?). A lot of people assume that the ’89-90 team won their conference… they didn’t.
• Secure at the very worst a spot in the NIT – no small feat for a school with only four D-1 postseason appearances in 29 years.
• Obtain a #1 seed in StL which would give us the ‘easiest’ road to the title (of course we know nothing is easy in the MVC).
• Win the big game in front of what should be a big crowd.
• Restore a little pride in a fanbase that has been hit hard this week.
• Heck this is a stretch but you could argue this perhaps give a boost to baseball fundraising efforts… the reality is, drawing positive attention to the school can’t hurt.
• Give the sports fans in the state of Iowa something to take pride in. Hey, fans of the ‘big brothers’ in Ames & Iowa City may drive us nuts at times but the truth is, when we win, their generally quite supportive.
• Likely give BJ a ‘Coach of the Year’ award for his mantle – not that he needs or wants the individual attention but to pick this team off the mat after a sub-par non-conf, and again after Indiana State, and again after a rough stretch here in Feb… makes it an invaluable honor.
• ANYTHING ELSE??

Can’t wait for Saturday… go get ‘em Panthers!

[Newsbreaker]

Re: Saturday is the Most Important Regular Season Game in UNI History

I'm not sure I agree with the conclusion, but I certainly understand and agree with how you got there. It's a big one!

[UNIAlum95]

Re: Saturday is the Most Important Regular Season Game in UNI History

Agree MadCat. I certainly hope to see the seat backs full for the game. Can't wait to see the nets come down after the win!

[06panther10]

Re: Saturday is the Most Important Regular Season Game in UNI History

I cannot wait untill saturday. This could be one of the best UNI moments in history if we can finish this thing off.

Win the championship at HOME in the last game of the year? C'mon! we gotta win this one.

[UNI MadCat]

Re: Saturday is the Most Important Regular Season Game in UNI History

I'm not sure I agree with the conclusion, but I certainly understand and agree with how you got there. It's a big one!

Hey NB, I'm not arguing -- I legitimately would like to hear more of your view.

I guess I looked at it as the stakes have never been higher. Sure '90 the win over Iowa brought us much needed attention in the state -- but the result didnt affect whether we made it to the dance (even though I'm sure it ultimately helped in allowing them to realize they could be giant killers). The Bucknell and WSU games undoubtedly helped us get an at large (similarly – LSU); but at the exact time of the wins, that was still an unknown.

It just seems like if this is the only time in history where a regular season win will guarantee us both a championship banner and postseason spot then I don’t see how it gets any bigger than that.

[Newsbreaker]

Re: Saturday is the Most Important Regular Season Game in UNI History

If I were to choose a "biggest regular season game" it would probably be the Bucknell game a few years ago. That game was, IMHO, the difference in getting UNI an at-large bid. Realistically, other than finally winning a title (which is huge, no doubt about that) we are no more or less likely to play in the Big Dance with either result on Saturday.

I think it's easy to forget how that BB game and that season in general catapulted us to heights we haven't seen since.

That being said, I can't argue strenuously against this weekend....it's a big one, no doubt about it, and I could easily take the position that it's the biggest.

[06panther10]

Re: Saturday is the Most Important Regular Season Game in UNI History

If I were to choose a "biggest regular season game" it would probably be the Bucknell game a few years ago. That game was, IMHO, the difference in getting UNI an at-large bid. Realistically, other than finally winning a title (which is huge, no doubt about that) we are no more or less likely to play in the Big Dance with either result on Saturday.

I think it's easy to forget how that BB game and that season in general catapulted us to heights we haven't seen since.

That being said, I can't argue strenuously against this weekend....it's a big one, no doubt about it, and I could easily take the position that it's the biggest.

You could make the same argument for the Benny J shot at Wichita. That win probably got us into the tourny as well.

[Newsbreaker]

Re: Saturday is the Most Important Regular Season Game in UNI History

You could make the same argument for the Benny J shot at Wichita. That win probably got us into the tourny as well.

You certainly could.

[williebat]

Re: Saturday is the Most Important Regular Season Game in UNI History

Maybe I am growing as a fan. But I think winning the MVC is a really really big deal. To me it is a bigger deal than making it to the NCAA. I want both of course but winning the conference is a huge accomplishment that every panther player can be proud of for the rest of their days.

And to totally suck at the beginning the year to turn into this awesome team is a ride I am not likely to forget. When I take my kids to future panther games I can point to that MVC championship banner and tell them that if you stick with it and get a little better every game good things will happen. Hard work has payed off for these guys.

Does it seem like the regular season conference winners ought to get the auto ncaa bid and the tourney winners the auto nit bid?

Anyway, awesome season panthers and awesome game last night.

Thank you

[06panther10]

Re: Saturday is the Most Important Regular Season Game in UNI History

I agree. Winning the MVC is huge. It kind of shows that we belong in this league, to those arrogant schools like Bradley and WSU that think they are above us. We already have a tournament title. To add a regular season title in this league would be huge.

[Newsbreaker]

Re: Saturday is the Most Important Regular Season Game in UNI History

I agree. Winning the MVC is huge. It kind of shows that we belong in this league, to those arrogant schools like Bradley and WSU that think they are above us. We already have a tournament title. To add a regular season title in this league would be huge.

I can't argue against that.

The whole "UNI doesn't belong" thing is so interesting to me, because it's more perception than reality. Since we've joined the MVC, we've been in the tournament multiple times, we've won in STL, and now (knock on wood) might finally add a regular season title. We have a better record in that time than WSU.

In other sports...we have a track program that's the class of the league. Our Volleyball team defines the sport in the Conference. We've upgraded our facilities to match just about anyone else. I know football isn't technically an MVC sport, but our football reputation nationally is unparalleled. Regionally, we're everything the rest of the league is...but yet the "they don't belong" lines persist.

[ofpantherandman]

Re: Saturday is the Most Important Regular Season Game in UNI History

I might have to make it that one.

[06panther10]

Re: Saturday is the Most Important Regular Season Game in UNI History

I can't argue against that.

The whole "UNI doesn't belong" thing is so interesting to me, because it's more perception than reality. Since we've joined the MVC, we've been in the tournament multiple times, we've won in STL, and now (knock on wood) might finally add a regular season title. We have a better record in that time than WSU.

In other sports...we have a track program that's the class of the league. Our Volleyball team defines the sport in the Conference. We've upgraded our facilities to match just about anyone else. I know football isn't technically an MVC sport, but our football reputation nationally is unparalleled. Regionally, we're everything the rest of the league is...but yet the "they don't belong" lines persist.

I was thinking the same thing. I don't know where the perception comes from either.

IF and that is a big if, we win on saturday, in the last year we would have won a basketball title, a football title, the track titles, another wrestling title, another v-ball ncaa tourny, and a top 3 baseball finish, with the MVC player of the year. Not to mention Adam Koch has a good chance at player of the year.

I really get annoyed with the WSU stuff too. We lead the all time series with them by a decent margin. We have won like 5 of our last 6 games at WSU. We have been to 4 tournaments in 20 years compared to their 1.

[Trapped in California]

Re: Saturday is the Most Important Regular Season Game in UNI History

Any predictions on how the team plays knowing the result of the CU vs ISU game before tipoff?

[06panther10]

Re: Saturday is the Most Important Regular Season Game in UNI History

Any predictions on how the team plays knowing the result of the CU vs ISU game before tipoff?

I think they will play like they need to win (if CU wins), or they will play like they don't want to have to cut the nets down after a loss to UE (if CU loses).