Can somebody tell me what has happened to this team?

[UNIChippewa]

I know that is a post title with a lot of naivete' in it, but I do live in the Florida Keys, and unless the game is on one of the ESPN networks, I don't see it. I even have to go somewhere for ESPNU, so I don't feel like I have the familiarity with UNI basketball that those of you still in the Cedar Falls area or the state of Iowa have. I did tape the Wichita State game since I had to work that Tuesday night, but when I saw the final score I lost my desire to watch the tape in my disgust.

Looking at the box scores is one thing, but it's a different thing to actually see the team in person or at least on TV. So my question for those of you who have gotten to watch this team is what has happened? Missed shots are one thing, but has the chemistry gone bad? Is the effort not there anymore for some reason? Have our seniors let us down with on-court leadership? I know these are some questions with intangible answers, but I think that often times seasons go down the tubes because of the intangibles.

Not surprised we lost last night, but still disappointed regardless. However, by looking at some of the posts it looks like we played better, so maybe the effort will lead to good things down the road and an unexpected victory on the road.

I would appreciate any insight you fellow Panther fans can give me.

[jman2004]

We did look much better, however we obviously weren't good enough to win the game yet. In my opinion, the officials screwed us big time. Down by two with a minute or so left, Brooks picked Ahearn's pocket at the top of the key which would've led to an open breakaway and an out of position ref blew a late whistle to send Ahearn to the line.

Later, Kwadzo was trying to foul an MSU player before the ball could be inbounded. No foul was called and MSU had to call time out. The MSU player broke into our timeout huddle and began taunting and chestbumping all our players and the officials called a double technical, basically claiming that we forced him into our huddle and made him taunt us.

Jordan Egleseder came in off the bench and was a HUGE spark. The crowd loved him and you could definately hear their pleasure in his playing time. He better get AT LEAST 10 minutes next game. Despite what people may say on this board, after last night, I'm fully convinced he can handle it. Stephen Jones played a lot of minutes and while he doesn't really do anything, he supplied some great defense last night.

As for the downfall this season, I'm sure others will chime in but I can give you my two cents.

Josten came out of his shell. The guy is amazing. Coleman works his butt off, every play, every game. Viet cooled off, Brown cooled off. We don't get the ball down low. We don't play our posts down low. We have a great front court but we don't use them in that way (hence, Jordan sits on the bench most games). A few games we didn't substitute well. We shoot too many threes. We miss WAY TOO MANY free throws. We don't play good man to man defense and we give up WAY too many open looks from downtown.

In the bigger picture, I think we were really just a slightly above average basketball team that started out hot and showed our true colors in the end. We have the ability, when we all are on the same page, and when we use our size advantage, to beat any team in the conference, (hence SIU) so there's hope for the Valley tourney, but our remaining schedule is too tough to really do any damage and salvage any sort of at-large bid.

[unigriff]

i finally agree with j. Good post J.

[jman2004]

Thanks griff. People love to disagree with me for some reason.

[Newsbreaker]

Down by two with a minute or so left, Brooks picked Ahearn's pocket at the top of the key which would've led to an open breakaway and an out of position ref blew a late whistle to send Ahearn to the line.

On TV, it looked like a foul.

I agree with much of the rest of that post. We aren't a very good defensive team in man coverage, and in a zone we get KILLED on the weak side. If I were game planning us, and had any shooters, I'd skip pass us to death.

Offensively, we too single minded. If an aspect is taken away, we aren't good at finding a way to exploit or work around that.

Teams are funny things, and they all have a goal. When we were *almost* ranked several weeks ago, had fallen out of first place and climbed back in, I think we had accomplished our goal. After that, we seemed to lose our killer instinct, we had done "enough" for ourselves mentally.

Last night we played better, but we still didn't have that competitive instinct, that fire to just win. Honestly, I think we're done.

[Panthers to the Bone]

I respectfully disagree News.

I saw the killer instinct last night. The guys were aggressive, the defense was solid for the most part. Yes, MSU got freed up for some shots, but they hit some VERY tough shots. We missed some bunnies down low and FT's. If UNI makes 75% of their FT's, UNI wins this game. That's frustrating. However, this team has a ton of life still. They have lost 6 of 7, but they are still remaining positive. Talking to some of them afterwards you can tell they are a close knit group that are fighting hard for each other. The moral of the story remains this. Our team is built on solid outside shooting and good post players. Right now, our open outside shooting isn't falling, and our inside play has been collapsed. When those outside shots begin to fall, this team will go on a run. Right now, it's just not happening. Yes, UNI got beat on the weak side on defense, but this team has that competitive instinct. If they didn't have the fire to win, they wouldn't have pulled back from double digits last night, after losing 5 of 6. It's a frustrating time, but seeing the fact these guys are fired up and playing hard, is all I can ask for as a fan right now. Basketball is a simple game...when shots are falling, everything looks great!

[Newsbreaker]

I see your point, we just disagree.

Good teams (and by good, I mean teams sufficient to get into the NCAA Tournament) are teams that "find a way." Every team is built on something, and at some point in the year that something is missing or just not happening. In those times, you simply find a way.

That might mean playing not just good defense, but suffocating defense. That might mean something unexpected or out of character on offense.

What I see is a team that doesn't understand how to do that, to "find a way" no matter what it takes.

Yes, if we start to shoot again, there's a good shot we sprint through St. Louis. If we don't, however, we have to find a way.

I think we're playing hard, and I think we're an able bodied team. We just aren't going to that extra level it takes to win now, in this league, in these circumstances.

[unigriff]

look at it this way...when everything this clicking on one nite, this team could erupt for 90+ I can't wait for that day! I'm hoping it happens in St. Louis!

[Panthers to the Bone]

I can live with that...and that's something I hope we can do...run the table in STL.

[panther2317]

I think PTTB was at the game and could feel this team fighting to win the game. I could feel that in my seat in the McLeod too...I think that's something that doesn't transfer to tv well. Maybe I'm just looking for ways to convince you News...but I don't think this team has packed it in yet either. There's still life there!

[Newsbreaker]

I'm not saying we've "quit" or packed it in, not at all. It's not a matter of wanting something, from the team's perspective, but rather a matter of knowing how to do it.

I don't think it's anyone's fault, it just is what it is.

[BCPanther]

Our seats are up the corner section on the UNI bench side. We really have a great view of what goes on in the huddle during timeouts.

Last night was the first night that I saw one of the coaches really give a "hell, fire, and brimstone type speech". When we got down 12 with about mid way through the second half, Kyle Green had had enough. He left the coaches huddle with Jake, Glas, Hogan, and Foster and went and just absolutely smacked the chair Jake sits on and then started to get into faces, especially Travis Brown.

I think this was GREAT for the team and they really responded. There is a point where a coach can be too even keeled. Jake teeters on that at times, which is ok if he lets his assistants have some fire. I really wish Jake would have full out chased those refs off the court last night. He started and then caught himself and went and shook hands. Those clowns were high school level at best...

PS- Does anyone besides me absolutely LOVE how Rich Glas interacts with officials?? He is always talking to them during timeouts. You can tell he gets his point across, then says something that makes them burst out laughing and he walks away. Rich Glas is AWESOME!!

[jman2004]

I know it's not Jake's style, but I too really wished he wouldn't have backed off the officials as easily last night.

And News, you might not find ten other fans (neutral or not) that agree with you on the Brooks play. I taped the game and watched it back this morning and got the feeling that even the broadcasters leaned in our favor on that one.

If anything, I feel even more strongly about it now after seeing the replay.

I called my father while we were waiting in the parking lot last night and asked how we the crowd looked on tv. He said "okay." I agree, sometimes that atmosphere is lost on tv. Because when Brooks was lying on the ground after that foul, pumping his fists, that place was ready to explode.

However News, you make a good point. I definately still see the fight in this team, but like you said, at the end of the day, it doesn't always matter if you gave 100% or not. If you don't know how to find a way to win ballgames, you're not going to win them. This team is fighting hard right now, that's not up for argument, but whether or not we're good enough to beat some of these top teams (especially when we're not hitting free throws or outside shots), that's still up for discussion.

[DRAKELAWPANTHER]

I also disagree that this team is not playing with "urgency."

It seems that every game, this teams finds a way to dig itself out of a 10 point hole, clawing its way back into the game. (Granted, they shouldn't get so far down in the first place.) Having been at the game last night, I agree that the sense of urgency is much clearer watching the game in person - though it hasn't translated over the tube.

The problem is not urgency - the problem is talent. I don't care who you are, you can't "find a way to win" when only two of your players are consistent scoring threats. And there's just nobody on this team - like an Ahearn or Funk - who can take the reigns and take over a ball game. Stout and Coleman may try - but there's only so much you can do when you're being double- and triple-teamed.

[jman2004]

Watching players like Funk and Ahearn, definately make me miss Benny even more. You're right Drake, we don't have that this season.