NORTHERN IOWA @ SMC

[Wufan]

Nobody should be drawing a conclusion about ant team or player based off 1, 2, or 3 games this early in the season. However, you can get a "feeling" about a team. That game was not a good feeling.

[DoubleJayAlum]

You probably weren't around on Valleytalk when Doggystyle had a lot of the same complaints about UNI's sweet 16 team. Every UNI team the last half dozen years or so, no matter how good, have had games that left people scratching their heads. UNI laying an egg, especially early on is nothing new.

Fair point.

There is one really significant difference between this UNi team and those teams though. Those teams had solid big men that could battle inside and get baskets when the outside shooting was off. This UNI team has no such option. (I'm also not sure that this team has the outside shooters either).

[Aargh]

I'll give UNI the benefit of the doubt on the travel. It just now went "click" for me that UNI had the half-way across the country game, followed by a coast-to-coast, 4 time zones trip for a 1 AM game. Yikes!

If I had figured that schedule out earlier, I would have been critical of UNI for scheduling that way. The kids had to be utterly fatigued and exhausted. The coaches had to be in even worse shape.

It's not unusual for teams to schedule practices at unusual times to prepare for games at unusual times. But what do you do when you're on the East coast to prepare for a middle of the night game on the West coast? Keep the team up and try to arrange a practice until the clocks there say it's 5 AM?

When it's reasonable to expect a team to be exhausted and perform at their worst, that is not a good time to schedule an ESPN game. Right now, DVR's across the country are starting to play that game to millions of basketball fans. Well, maybe thousands after the DVR owners check the scores.

Now I can actually say that I fell asleep while watching a UNI game.

[uniftw]

I'll give UNI the benefit of the doubt on the travel. It just now went "click" for me that UNI had the half-way across the country game, followed by a coast-to-coast, 4 time zones trip for a 1 AM game. Yikes!

If I had figured that schedule out earlier, I would have been critical of UNI for scheduling that way. The kids had to be utterly fatigued and exhausted. The coaches had to be in even worse shape.

It's not unusual for teams to schedule practices at unusual times to prepare for games at unusual times. But what do you do when you're on the East coast to prepare for a middle of the night game on the West coast? Keep the team up and try to arrange a practice until the clocks there say it's 5 AM?

When it's reasonable to expect a team to be exhausted and perform at their worst, that is not a good time to schedule an ESPN game. Right now, DVR's across the country are starting to play that game to millions of basketball fans. Well, maybe thousands after the DVR owners check the scores.

Now I can actually say that I fell asleep while watching a UNI game.

Yeah....I was critical of this schedule when it came out - and even more so now.

UNI was trending on twitter last night nationwide during the game...and it wasn't good.


To hold the second game of the year against any team isn't smart....especially given the 3500ish miles traveled and 2 games played in 3 days.

[unipanther99]

I think it's fair to be critical of the way this was scheduled, but if it had come out that UNI had turned down an opportunity to play at a highly regarded mid-major on ESPN, I think they would have been panned for that as well.

This game will still help with the strength of schedule, and next year (by all accounts should be a better year for the Panthers) we will get St. Mary's in the McLeod.

[DoubleJayAlum]

I suspect UNI's financial situation requires it to accept any TV games it is offered.

[WSUbballer]

I was able to catch the first half and was not impressed with what I saw. No passing, just one-and-done quick, absolute prayer shots on offense. I guess if the shots are falling, it's not a bad offense to run? But what I saw last night was putrid.

I wouldn't put too much stock in 2 games, but I don't think UNI fans should be clamoring "Sweet 16" with this team. There is absolutely zero inside presence and the guard play was very shaky at best.

St. Mary's is a respectable opponent to lose to but the margin of defeat was a bit concerning as was the 41 points put up. St. Mary's isn't exactly known for their defense..

[unipanther99]

I suspect UNI's financial situation requires it to accept any TV games it is offered.

Does UNI really see any money from ESPN for a game like this? I'm not sure how that works.

[uniftw]

I was able to catch the first half and was not impressed with what I saw. No passing, just one-and-done quick, absolute prayer shots on offense. I guess if the shots are falling, it's not a bad offense to run? But what I saw last night was putrid.

I wouldn't put too much stock in 2 games, but I don't think UNI fans should be clamoring "Sweet 16" with this team. There is absolutely zero inside presence and the guard play was very shaky at best.

St. Mary's is a respectable opponent to lose to but the margin of defeat was a bit concerning as was the 41 points put up. St. Mary's isn't exactly known for their defense..

Who said anything about S16 with the team as it currently sits?

UNI is starting a true freshman at Center, has the only center with experience sidelined with a football injury right now, but has a couple more post style players that are freshman and sophs.

Any semblance of a post presence and UNI will have a very good team.

[WSUbballer]

I was able to catch the first half and was not impressed with what I saw. No passing, just one-and-done quick, absolute prayer shots on offense. I guess if the shots are falling, it's not a bad offense to run? But what I saw last night was putrid.

I wouldn't put too much stock in 2 games, but I don't think UNI fans should be clamoring "Sweet 16" with this team. There is absolutely zero inside presence and the guard play was very shaky at best.

St. Mary's is a respectable opponent to lose to but the margin of defeat was a bit concerning as was the 41 points put up. St. Mary's isn't exactly known for their defense..

Who said anything about S16 with the team as it currently sits?

UNI is starting a true freshman at Center, has the only center with experience sidelined with a football injury right now, but has a couple more post style players that are freshman and sophs.

Any semblance of a post presence and UNI will have a very good team.

strike00 dropped the Sweet 16 comparison. That's why I mentioned it.

As for the inexperience on the inside, that's exactly why there is no inside presence. You're young. It's not a knock but it's a fact. Maybe, they'll improve throughout the year. I'm just going by what I was watching last night.

And I dunno if it's just a post issue. The guard play was pretty bad last night. Lots of forced shots and uncreative offense. It could be an aberration, who knows. Can only go by what we've seen so far. And that's where a couple of UNI fans need to realize that ugly games aren't gonna get pats on the back. They need to realize bad basketball was played, accept it, and move on.