Over the next several days, I'll be posting previews of each team in the Valley. Today I take a look at the Northern Iowa Panthers.
No. Iowa
2006-07: 18-13
(9-9 MVC)
01.15 at UNI
02.05 at CREI
2006-07 REWIND: What was more annoying for fans of the Panthers last year: hearing the media mention for the 9000th time that their new coach Ben Jacobson was not THAT Ben Jacobson, or missing the NCAA tourney for the first time in four years?
Jacobson's first year saw the team race out to a 13-3 record, and 4-1 in the Valley when the Panthers hosted Creighton in a Friday night tilt in Cedar Falls. Creighton jumped out early, hitting 6 of their first 8 shots and grabbed a 14-4 lead before the first media timeout. The Jays led the entire way, beating UNI 62-54.
By the time the teams rematched in Omaha, UNI was in a free fall. They had won just 3 of their last 10 games, and by the end of the Jays' 66-55 win the Panthers were 16-11 and 7-9 in the league. The game was noteworthy for a huge Creighton comeback, as they trailed from the opening tip until late in the game, before holding UNI without a field goal over the final nine minutes of the game in a 19-3 run.
Continue reading Season Preview: Northern Iowa.
