Creighton @ UNI, Sat. 2/4 4pm (FoxSports MW)

[DoubleJayAlum]

One of our assistants last year is an assistant on UNI's staff this year (I think he was the person to be named later in the McDermott trade). As illustrated by the last game, UNI knew exactly what all of our guys like to do and was better set up than any team so far to stop those tendencies.

This game worries me a great deal.

[Khan4Cats]

Great, just like we needed another reason for UNI to hate us:

Gibbs? He also could have been a Panther — not once but twice. Jacobson was the first coach to offer a scholarship to Gibbs, who grew up about 40 minutes from the McLeod Center, where Creighton and Northern Iowa will square off Saturday in a 4 p.m. game.

When Gibbs was looking for a place to transfer in the spring of 2010 after leaving Gonzaga, Northern Iowa again entered the picture. Two days before he needed to start summer school in 2010, Gibbs was still undecided between Creighton and Northern Iowa.

He eventually picked Creighton, partly because of McDermott. "I look like a genius now, but I just felt like Doug could be a really good player," Gibbs said. "That kind of turned the tide for me. If there was a determining factor, Doug was it."

http://www.omaha.com/article/20120203/B ... -very-well

I made this comment after the UNI-CU game:

McDecommit, Gibbs, Artino, Wragge were all UNI recruits (or signees)

Tuttle, Matt Bohanon, Nate Buss were all recruited by Creighton, maybe even Chip Rank and Marvin Singleton, also.

There have been plenty of CU-UNI recruiting battles in the past a well-most notably the decision between Nate Funk and Ben Jacobsen between both schools. There will certainly continue to be battles between the two schools since both coaches have similar styles/philosophies. The only one that really stands out is the past the last minute switch of a signed recruit without any penalties/consequences.

Gibbs is a really nice player, but I don't think he makes that much more impact in UNI's system than the guards we currently have. Artino would be a nice big to have, but he is not ready for full-time minutes yet and I don't see him a being better than Tuttle long-term. Wragge is a nice threat (now that he's healthy) but he is also very similar to Nate Buss for us (who ironically is out for the season with an injury).

The x factor is Doug. We don't have a similar player. Add in the circumstances regarding his recruitment, signing, departure, etc. and you have the animosity. Gibbs, Artino, Wragge won't ever face the same animosity.

[Khan4Cats]

One of our assistants last year is an assistant on UNI's staff this year (I think he was the person to be named later in the McDermott trade). As illustrated by the last game, UNI knew exactly what all of our guys like to do and was better set up than any team so far to stop those tendencies.

This game worries me a great deal.

That would be former UNI Panther Erik Crawford. Just like your AD, SID, Head Coach, Assistant Coach (DeVries).....

Any chance you could start developing your own people????

[Khan4Cats]

The Panthers will do what they always do.

1. Run a set over and over and over, until they get a good shot.

1a. Tough, in-your-face defense.

2. Low fouls.

3. Low turnovers.

4. Low scoring game.

5. Let opponent beat itself.

If UNI shoots well, they will win.

One of my least favorite Valley players is Jake (sometimes I disappear) Koch. If he pulls a disappearing act, the Panthers lose. In conference play, he is shooting 31.2% and 24.4%. Not heart warming stats.

Probably pretty accurate. If Creighton is able to build a big lead, I don't think UNI can chip back in. If UNI builds a big lead, they have had a bad habit of letting teams back in and it will end up a close finish. Best odds are that it is a close contest most of the way.

[DoubleJayAlum]

Any chance you could start developing your own people????

You're the teacher's college. Aren't coaches essentially teachers?

FWIW, I think we have a future coach on our team right now. I fully expect that Grant Gibbs will be a tremendous coach someday down the road.

[Khan4Cats]

Any chance you could start developing your own people????

You're the teacher's college. Aren't coaches essentially teachers?

FWIW, I think we have a future coach on our team right now. I fully expect that Grant Gibbs will be a tremendous coach someday down the road.

I could see Doug fitting that mold as well. I'm guessing Gibbs may go straight to the coaching ranks as I am not sure his legs will last long professionally-unfortunate as he has always been a solid player.

And I sure as heck hope if/when Jake leaves that Darrian DeVries is given a call to apply.

[GOREDBIRDS4]

Does anyone know if AJ is playing? 40 minutes til tip and this is still unknown?

[DoubleJayAlum]

Does anyone know if AJ is playing? 40 minutes til tip and this is still unknown?

Just call him Belicheck Jacobson!

[MVCfans]

Does anyone know if AJ is playing? 40 minutes til tip and this is still unknown?

James is dressed and warming up.

[glm38]

One of my least favorite Valley players is Jake (sometimes I disappear) Koch. If he pulls a disappearing act, the Panthers lose. In conference play, he is shooting 31.2% and 24.4%. Not heart warming stats.

I remember a while back some UNI fans were saying that Jake was definitely going to be a better player than his older brother. That certainly hasn't been the case. Adam was one of my favorite MVC players. He was 0 flash but all substance. He proved he could do it against the best in college basketball too in that KU game.

I have not seen many UNI fans make those claims. There may have been a few who said he could potentially be better, because his first two years were actually statistically better than Adam's first two years.

Jake is good, but he is not his brother. And is is just way too inconsistent, in so many ways.

I'm sure you are right champ. Potential is a tricky thing. And Jake is not a bad player at all.