|
Men's Basketball
UNI hosts Iowa State Wednesday nightDec. 2, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format
Game 7: Iowa State at UNI Wednesday, Dec. 3 -- 8:05 pm McLeod Center -- Cedar Falls, Iowa TV: KFXA/KDSM Radio: UNI Sports Network Internet: Live Video/Audio and GameTracker (UNIPanthers.com)
The University of Northern Iowa men’s basketball team (4-2) returns home to face intrastate rival Iowa State (4-1) on Wednesday night at the McLeod Center. The Panthers split a pair of games this past weekend at the Chicago Invitational Challenge in suburban Chicago, including posting a win over Auburn of the Southeastern Conference.
JUMP BALLS... l Tonight is Iowa State’s first-ever game in the McLeod Center. Two years ago, UNI and Iowa State met in the UNI-Dome, in the last basketball contest played in that building. UNI won that night, 70-57. l The Panthers have defeated the Cyclones each of the past two seasons, and three of the last four years, including ISU’s last two trips to Cedar Falls. UNI has never beaten Iowa State three straight times. l UNI has a balanced scoring attack this year, as four starters are averaging in double-figures, and all five are averaging at least 7.8 points per game. Freshman Johnny Moran leads the team with 12.8 ppg, followed by Jordan Eglseder (11.7 ppg), Adam Koch (11.5 ppg) and Ali Farokhmanesh (10.0 ppg). Point guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe averages 7.8 ppg and 4.2 assists per game. l UNI shot a season-best 54 percent against Auburn Nov. 29, including a season-high 47 percent (8-for-17) on three-pointers. Ali Farokhmanesh led the Panthers with 4-for-6 three-point shooting that night, while Travis Brown hit 2-of-3 off the bench from behind the arc. l Junior guard Ali Farokhmanesh broke out of a shooting slump against Auburn Nov. 29. The 6-0 junior college transfer, who was just 4-for-18 from downtown in the three games prior to that, nailed 4-of-6 treys against the Tigers. He led UNI with 14 points and propelled the Panthers to a 67-61 win. l Junior center Jordan Eglseder had his second double-double of the season, scoring 10 points and tying his season-best with 10 rebounds versus Auburn Nov. 29. Eglseder also had one assist and a blocked shot versus the Tigers. His other double-double was against UIC, when he had a career-high 23 points and 10 rebounds.
SCOUTING IOWA STATE Iowa State is 4-1 to start the season, and 0-1 away from Hilton Coliseum. Sophomore forward Craig Brackins leads the Cyclones, averaging 16.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, while point guard Diante Garrett averages 11.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. Iowa State head coach Greg McDermott, who was the Panthers’ head coach from 2001-06, is in his third season as ISU’s basketball boss.
ALL-TIME SERIES WITH THE CYCLONES Iowa State holds a 34-9 lead in the all-time series, but UNI has won two straight and three of the last four meetings between the two schools. The Panthers have won the last two games played in Cedar Falls (70-57 in 2006-07, and 99-82 in 2004-05). UNI posted a 61-48 victory last year at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, just its third-ever road victory in the series.
RADIO INFORMATION UNI’s men’s basketball games can be heard on the UNI Sports Radio Network, with KXEL 1540 AM (Waterloo, Iowa) once again serving as flagship station. Affiliates include KCHA (95.5 FM, Charles City), KVFD (1400 AM, Fort Dodge), KQCR (98.9 FM, Hampton), KRIB (1490 AM, Mason City), KILJ (105.5 FM, Mount Pleasant) and KQWC (1570 AM, Webster City). Long-time Panthers announcer Gary Rima handles play-by-play duties, while Kevin Boyle serves as analyst. In addition, head coach Ben Jacobson’s hour-long weekly coaches call-in show airs on KXEL at 7:00 pm each Thursday night.
MVC WEEKLY TELECONFERENCE Once again this year, the Missouri Valley Conference will hold a weekly men’s basketball teleconference for each of its 10 head coaches. The calls will be held on Tuesdays and begin on Dec. 16, with a break over the Christmas holiday. UNI head coach Ben Jacobson is scheduled to be on at 10:51 a.m. Media members wishing to participate should call 913-981-5517. Contact Mike Kern at the Missouri Valley Conference office (314-421-0339) for a full listing of dates for the media calls.
UNI GAMEDAY ONLINE Many of UNI’s home regular-season men’s basketball games can be viewed and listened to on the World Wide Web by going to www.unipanthers.com. UNI has partnered with Stretch Internet to provide live video and audio streaming of Panther basketball via “UNI GameDay Online.” In addition to video from most home men’s basketball contests, and audio from every home and road game, this subscription-based service also provides video and audio of a number of other UNI sports. Click on the “UNI GameDay Online” button on the front page of UNIPanthers.com to sign up. In addition, all Panther home men’s basketball games have free live stats courtesy of GameTracker.
SEASON-HIGH SCORING AGAINST CHICAGO STATE UNI scored a season-high 81 points in its 81-70 win Nov. 25 against Chicago State. The Panthers have recorded 74 or more points in three of its first six games this season; UNI scored 74 or more points in just four games the entire 2007-08 campaign.
O’REAR MAKES IMPACT IN DEBUT Sophomore forward Lucas O’Rear played in his first game of the season against Chicago State Nov. 25. He nearly posted his first career double-double, scoring nine points and grabbing 10 rebounds versus the Cougars. O’Rear, who shot just 50 percent from the foul line as a freshman, also made 7-of-8 free throws against CSU.
DOUBLE TROUBLE Junior forward Adam Koch recorded his second career double-double versus Chicago State on Tuesday. He scored 17 points (one short of his season-best) and grabbed 11 rebounds, while also dishing out two assists.
CLEANING THE GLASS The Panthers dominated on the glass versus Chicago State in their win earlier this week. UNI grabbed a season-best 47 rebounds (including 12 offensive) to just 24 by CSU. Adam Koch and Lucas O’Rear led the way with 11 and 10 rebounds, respectively.
BROWN DELIVERS AGAINST CSU Guard Travis Brown -- the lone active senior on UNI’s roster -- had a season-best 14 points versus Chicago State. He hit on 4-of-8 field goals (including a pair of three-pointers), and was a perfect 4-for-4 at the free throw line. Brown did all his work in just 18 minutes off the bench.
STRONG DEBUT FOR MORAN True freshman point guard Johnny Moran had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds in his college debut against Denver 11/15. That was the first double-double by a UNI player in his first game as a Panther since junior college transfer Brad Hill scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against Missouri Western on 11/27/89.
MORAN HAS CAREER-BEST AGAINST THE TIGERS Guard Johnny Moran had a career-best 21 points, while adding five rebounds, two assists and two steals, against Texas Southern Nov. 23. Moran connected on 7-of-11 shots from the field and 6-of-8 from three-point range, while also hitting all four of his free throws.
DISHING IT OUT The Panthers’ two primary ball-handlers, Kwadzo Ahelegbe and Johnny Moran, have combined for 39 assists in the team’s first three games. Both Ahelegbe (4.2 apg) and Moran (2.3 apg) rank in the top 15 of the Missouri Valley Conference in assists per game at fourth and 15th, respectively.
TAKING WHAT THEY GIVE YOU UNI is shooting an impressive .787 from the free throw line as a team this season. Eight of 10 players that have attempted foul shots for the Panthers are shooting better than 75 percent from the line, with six of them shooting 80 percent or better.
DOUBLE TIME Center Jordan Eglseder had his fourth career double-double against Illinois-Chicago Nov. 19, with a career-high 23 points and 10 rebounds. Eglseder came off the bench to play 26 minutes, and connected on 10-of-13 shots from the field. In four games this season, Eglseder leads the MVC in field goal percentage, having made an impressive 67.3 percent of his shots (33-for-49). ALI FOR THREE Junior shooting guard Ali Farokhmanesh scored a career-high 20 points versus UIC 11/19. He hit on 6-of-14 three-pointers versus the Flames, which was just short of school records in both categories. Cam Johnson holds the UNI records for three-pointer makes (8) and attempts (16), both set in the 1993-94 season, against Drake and Southern Illinois, respectively.
AHELEGBE HAS CAREER-HIGH AGAINST TSU Sophomore point guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe scored a career-high 11 points against Texas Southern Nov. 23, including making 6-of-7 free throws. He also tied for team-high honors with five rebounds, dished out a team-best five assists, and had no turnovers.
INSIDE PRESENCE The Panthers two inside players, Jordan Eglseder and Adam Koch, made their presence felt against Denver Nov. 15, particularly in the second half. The pair scored 22 of their 28 combined points after intermission, as UNI rallied from a one-point halftime deficit to win by five. In the game, Eglseder and Koch were a combined 11-for-12 from the field and 6-for-8 at the free throw line.
NEW GUARDS? NO PROBLEM In the Panthers’ season-opening win over Denver Nov. 15, three of UNI’s starting guards were not even on the active roster a year ago, but each had a big impact against the Pioneers. True freshman point guard Johnny Moran had 14 points, 10 rebounds and two assists; junior college transfer Ali Farokhmanesh had 13 points; and sophomore guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe (who missed the entire 2007-08 season with a shoulder injury) had a team-high five assists.
ANOTHER SEASON-OPENING WIN With its 61-56 victory over Denver, UNI has now won its last five season-openers, and also won its last eight home-opening contests. The last time the Panthers dropped a home opener was in the 2000-01 season.
UNI PICKED SIXTH IN MVC PRESEASON POLL The Panthers were picked sixth in the preseason Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball poll, in voting by the league’s coaches, sports information directors and media. Creighton was a near-unanimous pick to win the league with 386 points and 36 of 39 first-place votes. Southern Illinois was second with two first-place votes and 322 points, followed by Illinois State with the other top vote and 309 points. Drake was fourth with 274 points, followed by Bradley (219) and UNI (186). Rounding out the voting were Indiana State (137), Evansville (122), Wichita State (105) and Missouri State (85).
FRESH FACES The Panthers welcome seven new players to this year’s team. Five freshmen dot the roster, in Colten Kelly (Anamosa, Iowa), Johnny Moran (Algonquin, Ill.), Jake Koch (Ashwaubenon, Wis.), Austin Pehl (Cedar Falls, Iowa) and Anthony James (St. Louis, Mo.). Koch will redshirt the 2008-09 season after breaking his ankle. In addition, a pair of junior transfers are new to the Panthers squad, in guard Ali Farokhmanesh (Iowa City, Iowa) and forward Adam Rodenberg (Garnavillo, Iowa). Farokhmanesh was an All-American at Kirkwood Community College and will be in UNI’s starting lineup, while Rodenberg is a transfer from UC Irvine and will be eligible in mid-December.
JACOBSON OFF TO BEST UNI COACHING START EVER Panthers head coach Ben Jacobson, now in his third year at the helm of the UNI program, guided his first two squads to a combined total of 36 wins. That is the most victories for a Panthers men’s basketball coach in his first two years strolling the UNI sideline.
STRONG STARTS THE NORM FOR THE PANTHERS Don’t be surprised if the Panthers get off to another solid start this year. In fact, over the past six years, UNI has posted an impressive 51-14 record (.785) in games played in November and December. The Panthers claimed 11 wins before the calendar turned to January in both the 2005-06 and 2006-07 season, while winning nine contests before Jan. 1 in both 2004-05 and 2007-08.
YOUNG GUNS It’s a young group that Panthers that UNI head men’s basketball coach Ben Jacobson will put on the floor this year. There are a total of seven newcomers in the program, and only four players on the roster have more than one year of Division I basketball experience under their belts.
PANTHERS SIGN TWO IN EARLY PERIOD UNI signed a pair of guards for the 2009-10 season, UNI head coach Ben Jacobson announced Nov. 12. Inking to play with the Panthers starting next fall were 6-3 guard Marc Sonnen (St. Paul, Minn./Tartan High School) and 6-1 guard Matt Morrison (Solon, Iowa/Solon High School). “Marc and Matt both add toughness and competitiveness to our basketball program,” Jacobson said. “I like the approach they take to their academics as well as basketball, and am confident they will be very successful both on and off the court.” Sonnen has been a three-year starter for Tartan High School, earning All-Suburban Conference honors each of the last two seasons, including being named league MVP his junior campaign. He averaged 19.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game last year for the Titans, earning all-state accolades from Minnesota Breakdown and being named second-team all-metro by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. He is a McDonald’s 2009 All-America nominee and a candidate for this year’s Minnesota’s ‘Mr. Basketball’ award. Sonnen becomes the fourth Tartan player in recent seasons to join the Panther basketball program, as Erik Crawford (2003-06), Eric Coleman (2004-07) and Kwadzo Ahelegbe (2006-present) each are Tartan alums. “Marc is tough,” Jacobson said. “He is a high-energy competitor, and fits exactly what we look for from a recruiting standpoint. He has good size, handles and passes the basketball well, and will be a very good scorer. We have had good success with players from Tartan High School, and Marc is on that same track. I anticipate him having an immediate impact on our program.” Morrison has been a first-team all-conference selection the past two seasons for Solon High School, and was a second-team all-state selection as a junior. He averaged 16.4 points and 4.7 assists per game last season for Solon, as the Spartans finished 23-2 and placed third at the state tournament. Over the past three seasons, Morrison has helped guide Solon to a cumulative 69-7 record, with three conference titles and two trips to the state tourney. Morrison is also the starting quarterback for Solon’s football team. “Matt is a winner,” Jacobson said. “He has excelled in both basketball and football. His leadership as a point guard and quarterback of those teams has been instrumental to their success. I look forward to Matt adding those leadership qualities to our team. He is also very familiar with our program, and being a Panther means a lot to him. I’m excited to add another quality Iowa high school player to our program.”
TOUGH SCHEDULE The Panthers have put together another challenging non-conference schedule this season. In addition to the annual intrastate rivalry games with Iowa and Iowa State, UNI will face 15th-ranked Marquette, as well as SEC member Auburn, as part of the Chicago Invitational Challenge in late November. The Panthers also travel to Illinois-Chicago in a return of last year’s ESPNU BracketBuster game; travel to face Wyoming of the Mountain West Conference in a neutral-site game in Casper, Wyo.; and host Denver, South Dakota State, Texas Southern and Chicago State at the McLeod Center. UNI will also be on the road for this season’s ESPNU BracketBuster game in February. BLUE RIBBON LOVES UNI Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook picked UNI to finish second in its 2008-09 preseason Missouri Valley Conference rankings. In addition to the high pick, the magazine projected the Panthers to have the top front court in The Valley.
SALAD DAYS The Panthers have won 105 games since the start of the 2003-04 season, marking the most successful five-plus year stretch in school history, with a cumulative record of 105-60. UNI has won at least 18 games each of the previous five years, including tying the school record for wins in 2005-06 with 23. The second-best UNI five-year victory total is 89, as UNI went 89-29 from 1960-61 through 1964-65, when UNI was a Division II school known as the State College of Iowa.
TOP HALF AGAIN UNI finished in a tie for fifth in last year’s Missouri Valley Conference standings. That marked the fifth straight season that the Panthers had posted an upper-division finish in The Valley. Prior to that streak starting in 2003-04, UNI had finished in the top five of the MVC standings just twice since joining The Valley for the 1991-92 basketball season.
TICKET INFORMATION Full-season and mini-plan ticket packages are available to see the Panther men’s basketball team in action at the McLeod Center. A total of 17 exciting home games are on tap in 2008-09, and single-game tickets are also on sale. Contact UNITix at 319-273-4TIX, or visit the UNITix Office which is located on the Eldon Miller Plaza at the north end of the McLeod Center, for more information. Tickets are also available online by going to the Panthers’ official athletics website at www.UNIPanthers.com.
|
 |
|||||
|
||||||
