Where does this MVC title game rank in your all-time greats list?

[UNI MadCat]

For the past 24+ hours all I can think about is seeding, location, etc and I need to think about something else or these next six days are going to be hell. So I started a list trying to figure where yesterday's game ranks from a historical perspective. Clearly it is not our crowning achievement, not even close. And the fact that it came against a team we really were expected to beat, might knock it down a bit. But that said -- it was one of the best halves of basketball I've ever seen, especially considering a title was on the line and it was on national tv. And I think anyone watching Jake's halftime interview on TV - looking calm and collected without a worry in the world - knew it was possible. But then to actually do it with such domination, when we easily could have packed it in and said - "it's just not our day, lets get ready for the Big Dance" - made it a site to behold.

So here is my list of top games in UNI (D-1) history. Thoughts? What did I miss?

1. 2010 vs Kansas in NCAA tournament - Duh. Ali Again.
2. 1990 vs Missouri in NCAA tournament - Newby.
3. 2010 vs UNLV in NCAA tournament - Ali.
4. 1990 vs Iowa - Announced to the state we had finally arrived in D-1 in front of 20,000+ in the Dome
5. 1990 vs UW-GB in AMCU championship - First ever trip to the dance
6. 2004 2OT vs MSU for MVC title - What a ride to get there. What a game.
7. 2014 vs WSU @ home - I could argue this one much higher or lower
8. 2009 OT vs ISUr for MVC title - incredible game with so much on the line
9. 2014 vs ISUr in MVC title game - If we win this going away or in ho hum fashion it drops below 2010 vs WSU...but the way it happened jumps it up IMO
10. 2004 vs SIU in the Dome - stops SIU from going 18-0
11. 2009 vs Evansville for first-ever piece of MVC regular season - historical
12. 2010 vs WSU for MVC title - really a cakewalk, but for historical purposes its on the list
13. 2006 Over Bucknell - So much exposure. Incredible game.
14. 1990 vs MSU in AMCU-8 semis - TD pass to Jason Reese for the lay up? Magic.
15. 1990 3-OT vs UIC in AMCU-8 quarters - No one remembers Newby if we don't survive this one.
16. 2012 NIT win over St Joes - for historical purposes only, IMO, it's worth mentioning.

[06panther10]

Re: Where does this MVC title game rank in your all-time greats list?

Thats a pretty fantastic list, IMO. Hard to argue with the games nor their order for the most part.

I might throw WSU @ home in 2010 somewhere in there as it was a great game and was effectively the MVC title game which secured our first ever outright title.

Also, maybe the Creighton game from 2013 (The AJ buzzer beater), if for no other reason than the hilarious FU way that we won the game. Plus they were ranked 12 or 13 I think.

[UNIhoops]

Re: Where does this MVC title game rank in your all-time greats list?

Great list. I thought scoring 99 points vs Iowa State in 04/05 season set the tone that we can hang with anybody. I remember Coach Mac standing up to Morgan. For me as a freshman (and a group of friends) it was my first home game and it told me this can be my favorite team - we can play with anybody. Went to every home game that I could for the next four years.

[PantherChic]

Re: Where does this MVC title game rank in your all-time greats list?

AFter reading this post my husband and I went back and watched a few amazing moments in UNI basketball history. Of course there's the Benny J buzzer beater against Wichita. Then there's the Anthony James buzzer beater 3 pointer to assure that Doug McDermott never wins a game in the McLeod. Had fun watching Oh Newby! again And looked for Jason Reese's last second shot to watch that but couldn't find it.....

Some great moments and LOTS of great games! Yesterday's 2nd half was definitely one of them!

[CyCarp]

Re: Where does this MVC title game rank in your all-time greats list?

That 09 conference championship game as crazy. Osiris Eldridge went nuts, only time I ever really remember seeing a player from the losing team get MVP/MOP or whatever they want to call it.

[UNI MadCat]

Re: Where does this MVC title game rank in your all-time greats list?

AFter reading this post my husband and I went back and watched a few amazing moments in UNI basketball history. Of course there's the Benny J buzzer beater against Wichita. Then there's the Anthony James buzzer beater 3 pointer to assure that Doug McDermott never wins a game in the McLeod. Had fun watching Oh Newby! again And looked for Jason Reese's last second shot to watch that but couldn't find it.....

Some great moments and LOTS of great games! Yesterday's 2nd half was definitely one of them!

Nice! The WSU/Benny buzzer beater should be in there for sure. Had it in my head and then forgot to add.

Thought about AJ v Creighton but decided, given hindsight and how that season went, I refrained. But great win at the time.

[achrist70]

Re: Where does this MVC title game rank in your all-time greats list?

2010 vs Old Dominion was a big game and kind of gets overshadowed by events that would come after.

All of the SIU games when they were good were big games that put us on the map.

2009 @ Creighton was the win that showed what that team could do once they gelled.

[BCPanther]

Re: Where does this MVC title game rank in your all-time greats list?

I hate the argument that the ODU game in 2010 was somehow meaningful. It was on ESPN2 at 6:00 on a Friday Night, not exactly prime viewing hours or a ton of exposure.

That game literally did nothing for us. We won the auto-bid anyway and ended up a 9 seed. It then saddled us with a horrific return game two years later in a year where they won like 8 games.

Way, way, way overrated.

[jegbomb52]

Re: Where does this MVC title game rank in your all-time greats list?

Wasn't the 2001 Iowa Basketball Team we beat in the Dome ranked VERY high? Like top 10?

I agree the beat down where we almost put up a 100 on ISU was our coming out party to the state. I know the Iowa win in 91 was our first, but the ISU game let the state know who the best team in the state was going to be for the next decade, not sure you could argue it either... ISU has a gripe, but their last ten years doesn't sniff our jock strap. They have had a great three year run though.

Also, GA Tech in Milwaukee the year they were runner up I think announced to the country that Northern Iowa wasn't going to be a one hit wonder. I was looking down the baseline as Benny J's ball sailed right toward me to tie it with five seconds left, I stood, it was in, there wasn't a doubt in my mind. Until the clang...

[buster69]

Re: Where does this MVC title game rank in your all-time greats list?

The bracketbuster game in the dome, I believe it was against George Mason (could be wrong) was an amazing game and atmosphere. We did not deserve to win that game, but thanks to Mckowen letting the ball be thrown full court with out touching it, we got the ball back under the basket.

[UNI MadCat]

Re: Where does this MVC title game rank in your all-time greats list?

The bracketbuster game in the dome, I believe it was against George Mason (could be wrong) was an amazing game and atmosphere. We did not deserve to win that game, but thanks to Mckowen letting the ball be thrown full court with out touching it, we got the ball back under the basket.

That was Bucknell.

[UNI MadCat]

Re: Where does this MVC title game rank in your all-time greats list?

Wasn't the 2001 Iowa Basketball Team we beat in the Dome ranked VERY high? Like top 10?

I agree the beat down where we almost put up a 100 on ISU was our coming out party to the state. I know the Iowa win in 91 was our first, but the ISU game let the state know who the best team in the state was going to be for the next decade, not sure you could argue it either... ISU has a gripe, but their last ten years doesn't sniff our jock strap. They have had a great three year run though.

Also, GA Tech in Milwaukee the year they were runner up I think announced to the country that Northern Iowa wasn't going to be a one hit wonder. I was looking down the baseline as Benny J's ball sailed right toward me to tie it with five seconds left, I stood, it was in, there wasn't a doubt in my mind. Until the clang...

I think all of these games should be in the top 20 with GA Tech being the only loss but a great example of the potential heights the program could reach (and since has).

[UNIhoops]

Re: Where does this MVC title game rank in your all-time greats list?

I wish this years team had some tourney experience. When comparing this years team to the sweet 16 team. Purdue the year before was probably a major key to the run.

[PantherChic]

The bracketbuster game in the dome, I believe it was against George Mason (could be wrong) was an amazing game and atmosphere. We did not deserve to win that game, but thanks to Mckowen letting the ball be thrown full court with out touching it, we got the ball back under the basket.

His basketball IQ saved that game for us!

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk

[Born-a-Panther]

Re: Where does this MVC title game rank in your all-time greats list?

Talking about all of it just makes me smile... so many fun memories! The AJ shot against Creighton has to make Honorable Mention and the Benny J shot at WSU needs to be on the list. Thanks for putting this together!