ESPN Inside

[ubuntuCAT]

not that I really care that much what ESPN thinks but does anyone have the Inside subscription and could post the full report on UNI
Thanks!

[FargoBison]

not that I really care that much what ESPN thinks but does anyone have the Inside subscription and could post the full report on UNI
Thanks!

##TEAMDATA##

The Players
Starters
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
1 Brooks McKowen(6-2, 195, JR) 30.1 5.6 ppg, 2.8 apg 1.4 Asst/TO .281 3PT
Comment: Game is built on leadership and intangibles.
2 John Little(6-0, 195, SR) 29.2 7.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg .402 3PT .466 FG
Comment: Does a little of everything and often draws the toughest perimeter defensive assignment.
3 Ben Jacobson(6-3, 205, SR) 36.2 14.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg 3.8 apg .389 FG
Comment: One of the best players in school history, but his shooting is down a bit this season.
4 Eric Coleman(6-6, 230, SO) 27.9 11.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg .573 FG .581 FT
Comment: UNI's best back-to-the-basket, low block threat.
5 Grant Stout(6-8, 230, JR) 32.4 12.1 ppg, 8.9 rpg 2.4 bpg .333 3PT
Comment: First or second in MVC in rebounds, blocks, and FG percentage.
Rotation
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
G Erik Crawford(6-4, 215, SR) 30.1 9.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg .810 FT .415 FG
Comment: Starter for much of the season even after returning from a foot injury. Now bringing a spark off the bench.
G Travis Brown(6-3, 175, FR) 9.9 3.6 ppg, 1.2 rpg .471 3PT .449 FG
Comment: Not much playing time with Jacobson, Crawford, and Little in front of him.
G Jared Josten(5-11, 170, SO) 8.7 1.7 ppg, 0.5 apg .396 FG 6 of 9 FT
Comment: Good ballhandler, but Crawford and Little are really the backup point guards

Season notes

High point
A week before Christmas, UNI held LSU to 41 percent shooting and beat the Tigers 54-50, in Baton Rouge, a win that's as responsible as anything for getting the Panthers into the Tournament.

Lowlight
Northern Iowa scored just 45 points in the regular-season finale against Southern Illinois and lost by one, relegating the Panthers to the sixth seed in the MVC tourney. A week later SIU did it again, this time limiting the Panthers to 46 points, bouncing them in the semis.

Most Revealing Moment
Having lost two straight conference games and staring a BracketBusters defeat to Bucknell in the face, Coleman and Crawford hit shots at the end of regulation and the first overtime, respectively, to perhaps save the Panthers' season. Coleman then scored six in the second overtime to give the Panthers a much-needed victory. Without it, the losing streak would have been five heading into the MVC tournament and UNI would probably be looking at the NIT draw.

Did You Know?
Northern Iowa now has three straight 20-win seasons, three of only five in school history.

Scouting report

Offensive Preference
Deliberate, with an abundance of screens, many of them geared toward getting Jacobsen free.

Defensive Philosophy
Fundamental, but rock-solid man-to-man. Won't do anything fancy. Panthers just stay in front and fight through screens.

Secret Strength
UNI won't give the opposition many freebies. The Panthers are sixth in the nation in fewest fouls and 18th in fewest turnovers.

Achilles' Heel
UNI is not overly athletic. So,while the Panthers don't mind pushing the ball up the floor on occasion, they can't get into an up-tempo game. The half-court allows them to do what they do best defend.

Will Lose When ...
The Panthers rely too heavily on Jacobson. Coleman and Stout are solid options, but in key situations UNI tends to put the ball in their top scorer's hands and do little more than set a few screens.

Famous Last Words UNI is not playing its best basketball of the season and the star (Jacobson) is struggling with his offense. A win will only come if the Panthers can impose their style, and that's tough when shots aren't falling.


Tournament History
64-team era Overall
NCAA appearances: 3 (of 22)
Seed average: 13.0
Highest seed No. 11 (2005)
Lowest seed: No. 14 (1990, 2004)
Biggest upset: 1990 vs. No. 3 Missouri
Most upsetting: none
NCAA appearances: 3
All-time record: 1-3 (.250)
Best finish: 1990, second round
Coach's NCAA record: Greg McDermott (0-2, .000

ESPN's Take

Consider Northern Iowa's inclusion into the tournament field proof that the NCAA tournament committee looks at the entire season rather than just the final month or six weeks. The Panthers didn't end the regular season with a flourish, losing four of five games and getting blown out by Bradley. In the non-conference, however, the Panthers put together a very impressive tournament resume. There was a win over Iowa and a very impressive win at LSU. Later in the year, UNI defeated Bucknell in the BracketBusters event. While Northern Iowa's strong RPI would have probably gotten the Panthers into the tournament regardless of what happened in the Missouri Valley tournament, UNI coaches and players slept easier after a quarterfinal victory over Missouri State that had a loser-is-out feel to it. Northern Iowa, playing in its third consecutive NCAA tournament, is a veteran and balanced group. Guard Ben Jacobson, an excellent shooter, leads the attack with a 14.3 points per game average. More athletic than he looks Grant Stout, undersized but effective Eric Coleman, and strong defender Erik Crawford also average in double figures.

-- Jeff Shelman

[UNIChippewa]

Thanks. From what I've seen of us (which, admittedly, is not too much considering where I live), that description fits us to a tee.

I'm feeling a bit better about this match-up than I did yesterday. G'Town will be tough, but I have all the confidence in the world that McDermott and company will develop a great game plan and execute it well. Both teams are going to have to play well to win. I think this will be a great game, the type that keeps both teams' fans on pins and needles.

[ubuntuCAT]

Thanks FargoBison!!! GO BISON in the tourney (unless its against a valley team, sorry)