Overview:
The fifth place finish in the Missouri Valley
Conference was nothing for UNI to be ashamed about.
For starters, it was a tough league, and also, how
many teams in the nation can claim wins over Wichita
State (twice), LSU and Iowa? This team has been
adept at limiting the opposition's scoring
opportunities. Nine times this season, the Panthers
have held an opponent to under 50 points.
Possible Difference Maker: Junior forward
Grant Stout improved his numbers in just about every
stat category from a season ago. He ranked 12th in
the league in scoring (12.1 ppg), while leading the
Missouri Valley in rebounding (9.0 rpg). He was also
second in the league in blocked shots (2.5 bpg) and
third in field goal percentage (.561).
On Offense: They run a lot of set plays. How
many is a lot? How about 200 or so sets? Everything
they do is predicated on how you guard them. They
have a counter for everything.
On Defense: They are primarily a man-to-man
team. They will give you an occasional zone look.
Strength: Solid frontcourt and very
experienced guards. They have been here before.
Weakness: This is not a real deep team. That
could be a factor.
Key to Success: Ben Jacobson didn’t have a
super season. His scoring numbers didn’t fall, but
his percentages did. They will need him to play
well. As a team they need to regain their
confidence. They had some great non-league wins, but
they struggled down the stretch in MVC play.
How to Beat Them: Be patient on offense, as
they will give you a lot of looks and go at them
strong in the post. Try to get their big men in foul
trouble.
