Jacobson at UNI

Knownothing · 01-31-2007, 10:10 AM

Looks as though his team is going the wrong way right now. After the start of the season I thought UNI could be a sweet 16 team. Now they look like a possible NIT team. Just goes to show that we did get the right guy. Take away GMac and the same players just are not performing for Jacobson.

Now don't get me wrong I think Jacobson will be a good coach. I just think right now he is a little over his head. He should get it figured out in the next year or so. Thoughts

brianhos · 01-31-2007, 10:14 AM

I went to the UNI/Drake game this past weekend, one of the things I noticed, is that UNI just did not have the spark they had against ISU. Coleman was not driving and agressive at all. Maybe they are too much like ISU and play down to the level of their competition.

shagcarpetjesus · 01-31-2007, 10:23 AM

The Panthers have Coleman and Stout back, but it's not exactly the same team as last year. Don't underestimate the impact that losing guards like Ben Jacobsen, Erik Crawford, and John Little has had on that team. Jacobsen especially was a guy that was a consistent threat from the perimeter. They really don't have anybody this year that can create their own shot from the guard position & I think that's hurt them in some of their close games this year.

Wesley · 01-31-2007, 10:46 AM

McKowen is not getting it done. Their new little 7000 seat stadium has taken away an advantage. Now the opponents can shoot the ball and UNI has to play better defense. Coleman and Stout has 40 bertween them. What happened to the rest of the team. Jiri, Wes, and Mike had 50 between them. What happened to the rest of the team?

Jerry1982 · 01-31-2007, 11:01 AM

I haven't been following the Panthers very closely. I can recall from years past that McKowen was EXTREMELY streaky, maybe 2 or three good shooting games a year is all. For those of you who follow them, is that still the case?

cycloneworld · 01-31-2007, 11:07 AM

How is it when we get Mac here, we don't expect him to win because he doesn't have "his" players for his system but Jacobson at UNI is expected to win with Mac's players.

I realize Ben probably helped recruit these guys and may be using a similar system to Mac but I'm sure he definitely wants his own guys in there to do what he wants now that he isn't 2nd fiddle to Mac.

Give the guy some time...you can't judge a coach by a handful of games.

Harry · 01-31-2007, 11:07 AM

As I recall UNI went into a slump last year toward the end of the season wiith Mac as the coach. It took a win in the Mo. Valley tournament to get them into the NCAA's.

BryceC · 01-31-2007, 11:18 AM

How is it when we get Mac here, we don't expect him to win because he doesn't have "his" players for his system but Jacobson at UNI is expected to win with Mac's players.

I agree with this... somewhat. They run exactly the same kind of system though. It's not like Clark playing in McD's system, the kid is learning a whole new way to play the game. Frankly the kids are doing exactly the same thing they were doing last year so I don't think it's that big of a switch.

JJ4ISU · 01-31-2007, 11:19 AM

I've thought all year that they were just barely getting by with this backcourt. It has finally caught up with them. ISU women might be the only team in Iowa to make the NCAA's.

darts180 · 01-31-2007, 11:36 AM

It is a growing process. Jake has never had the keys to his own car, and he is learning on the job. He has helped to recruit all of these guys, and the system has only been tweaked.

I think the thing that I have noticed, and been disappointed in, is the spotty efforts that they have been giving as of late. They'll play hard for a while, then just let up. He needs those seniors to step up and lead this team.

jtd9046 · 01-31-2007, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by shagcarpetjesus

The Panthers have Coleman and Stout back, but it's not exactly the same team as last year. Don't underestimate the impact that losing guards like Ben Jacobsen, Erik Crawford, and John Little has had on that team. Jacobsen especially was a guy that was a consistent threat from the perimeter. They really don't have anybody this year that can create their own shot from the guard position & I think that's hurt them in some of their close games this year.

I have seen Crawford on the bench at the ISU games I have been able to watch in MI. Does anyone know his position?

A interesting side note for those that don't know. Jake Sullivan, Erik Crawford, Eric Coleman, and Kwadzo Ahelegbe all came from the same high school in MN. Too many times I witnessed first hand Sully and Crawford destroy my school, and it made it worse as we were conference rivals.

CrossCyed · 01-31-2007, 12:33 PM

I wonder what will happen the next time UNI has a losing season. There were a handful of empty seats that you could see on TV. Either Panther fans get up and buy popcorn in predetermined groups, or they can't fill a 7,000 seat arena. They have more bandwagon fans as a percentage of the people that buy tickets there than any other school in the state. There's no excuse for them to have empty seats visible on tv for a game on ESPN2.

Oldgeezer · 01-31-2007, 05:38 PM

UNI did not have much enthusaism in the first half last night, whatever the reason. Drake was highly motivated and on fire, biggest game of the year for them, a chance to be state champs. But the key to UNI's season is McCowen, and he definately had another bad night last night. Witchita State on the other hand is back where they were in the preconference season, 4 starters back from a sweet sixteen team. Regardless of what you think of the Mo. Valley, they are deeper than either the Big 12 or Big 10. They won't get six in the NCAA because they aren't from the elite conferences, but they should.

clone52 · 01-31-2007, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by CrossCyed

I wonder what will happen the next time UNI has a losing season. There were a handful of empty seats that you could see on TV. Either Panther fans get up and buy popcorn in predetermined groups, or they can't fill a 7,000 seat arena. They have more bandwagon fans as a percentage of the people that buy tickets there than any other school in the state. There's no excuse for them to have empty seats visible on tv for a game on ESPN2.

They have sold out a bunch of games this season, but last night was a small crowd. There may be many reasons. It was scheduled at one point to start at 8 and got moved to 6. It was a Tuesday night game which is HS basketball which takes a lot of possible walk-up sales out of the picture. They've been slumping, I bet we have a pretty dismal crowd against Baylor.

I hope they can rebound and secure a spot in the NCAA. They're problem so far is that outside the starting lineup, they're looking at 3 freshman and a junior as the backups. And the junior can't play a lick of defense. IF they get to the NCAA, they can be a threat if only because they can rely on those 5 starters. Jacobsen has been trying to give minutes to the new guys, and that should help in the long run, but it has caused them some problems.

McKowen can be a streaky shooter, but their offense disappears when he leaves the game. Aheligba I think will be good, but he is overmatched right now. You'd think fans who cheered for Jacy Holloway would understand that the point guard doesn't just impact the game with his scoring.

clone52 · 01-31-2007, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by CrossCyed

I wonder what will happen the next time UNI has a losing season. There were a handful of empty seats that you could see on TV. Either Panther fans get up and buy popcorn in predetermined groups, or they can't fill a 7,000 seat arena. They have more bandwagon fans as a percentage of the people that buy tickets there than any other school in the state. There's no excuse for them to have empty seats visible on tv for a game on ESPN2.

Oh, and attendance will drop if they have a losing season. But I hope they've built themselves up to a point where a bad season is a blip on the radar. Heck, us ISU fans have gotten to the point where we can't sell out games consistently unless we're having a great season. We're pretty bandwagon ourselves. And UNI has the added handicap that a large portion of their fanbase now was either a big Iowa or Iowa State fan 5 to 10 years ago. Iowa State's basketball fanbase started as a group of bandwagon fans early on in Orr's tenure. This is only the 4th season of good basketball for UNI.