Northern Iowa at Indiana State

[MoValley John]

You're probably right. He was a hot commodity two years ago and still hot at the beginning of this season. If the Panthers don't turn it around soon, his star might fade. Woulda, coulda, shoulda. Oh well, I don't think Jacobson is the kind of guy that cries over spilled milk.

[unipanther99]

Doug McDermott would have been a nice "wrinkle to Jacobson's system," just sayin.'

He needs to find a playmaker... We haven't had a real playmaker since the player he shared a name with.

[2livewu]

He needs to find a playmaker... We haven't had a real playmaker since the player he shared a name with.

Really???

Ahelegbe wasn't a play maker?


I won't argue that UNI needs more talent to compete at the top of the league. So does every other team outside of Omaha and Wichita. Some more than others (Bradley).

[unipanther99]

He was a playmaker at times, but not consistantly. He was a very good point guard, and a major reason for UNI's run in 2010, but you couldn't count on him in the way the 2003-2006 teams did with Benny J.

[unipanther99]

And let me clarify, I'm not claiming those were better years for UNI than 2009-10.

[UNIFanSince1983]

The way things started this had the making of a very nice surprising year. Not sure when our train derailed, but we're off the tracks right now.

I know that this will probably piss off a few Panther fans and there will be a knee jerk reaction and blind defense of Jacobson, but I have my idea of what is happening and I've stated it before. Valley coaches have figured out UNI's "system" and are now exploiting the Panthers the way the Panthers used to exploit other teams. In the non-conference, UNI looked strong, very strong, but in the Valley things changed. The fact of the matter is this, Valley coaches are very familiar with every Valley team, non-conference foes, not so much. The clutch and grab isn't working, the slow tempo isn't working, every other team is simply adapting to playing UNI's game and beating them at it. What worked for UNI two years ago isn't working now, it's time for Jacobson to put a wrinkle in his system.

You know you could be right. However, some of it happens to be not having quite the amount of talent we had in 2009 and 2010. We have some talent this year, but we are young. We really just currently don't have the horses that some Valley teams do this year. We could beat teams in one offs in non-conference because they don't see us as often, and our deficiencies are overcome by our "system". In conference where teams know us they can use that to exploit some of the deficiencies in talent this team has compared to previous years. We had the most talented team in the conference in 2009-10. Creighton or Wichita do this year. A coach and his "system" can only do so much if you can't match the talent of the other teams.

[glm38]

I think it might be a little bit of both. MVJ is probably right that the rest of the Valley does have UNI's system figured out to some extent. But if that's true I'll bet he makes the adjustments and adds in new "stuff" sooner rather than later.

I also agree that part of the issue is talent. You just can't compare this years team to that 2009 team.

[Wufan]

I think UNI is just a touch young. The juniors aren't as consistent as they need to be. The freshman are just figuring it out. Tuttle is good. Panthers need a true banger in the post or at PF. Nothing wrong with the sytem, it just needs to be executed for a full 40 every game.

[PantherSigEp]

I think UNI is just a touch young. The juniors aren't as consistent as they need to be. The freshman are just figuring it out. Tuttle is good. Panthers need a true banger in the post or at PF. Nothing wrong with the sytem, it just needs to be executed for a full 40 every game.

I couldn't agree more. If our system is stale and has been "figured out" then how did we post double digit leads on Creighton, E-ville, (I won't mention Bradley because that really doesn't require a "system") etc...and push Wichita and Missouri St. around a bit and give them such great games? We have been in all of our games and the reason we have squandered leads and lost these games is because we stopped executing. Wichita St. is a perfect example because we had a lot of success going straight at them at the hoop and forcing them to put up bad shots. Then we stop going to Tuttle, take terrible shots at the perimeter and gave them good open looks in the last 5-7 mins (if I'm recalling correctly which could certainly NOT be the case). For the first 30-35 mins of that game there was no question that UNI looked like the better team...in just the last 10 possessions the Shox were able to completely make that "gap" up and the better team won.

I hope this makes sense but if everyone else (but Drake) has figured us out then they are doing just as bad a job of executing it for most of the games. If the system were no longer effective then basically we wouldn't even be in these games and should be getting blown out of the arena each and every night. I would say that is far from the truth although it would be much less frustrating if that were the case. My logic isn't perfect but I'd disagree that it is less than the other logic being used in this debate.

[Kyle]

Yep, after many long years of studying UNI's system, Geno Ford and Greg Lansing have finally figured it out and were able to get the W's this year.

Paul Lusk also knows coach Jake's system like the back of his hand. UNI has no shot on Saturday.