Indiana State @ UNI 8 PM EST

[Khan4Cats]

I hadn't commented on some of the dumbass comments made by other UNI fans regarding jucos, transfers, etc. but UNI fans clearly have a short memory. EVERY ONE OF UNI's NCAA Tournament teams have featured juco and/or transfer players.

1990: Steve Phyfe (Oral Roberts), Brad Hill (juco)
2004: Matt Schneiderman (juco), Erik Crawford (Bowling Green) Pete Schmitt (Wisconsin) Jon Godfread (Utah)
2005: Crawford, Schmitt, Godfread
2006: Crawford
2009, 2010: Ali Farohkmanesh (juco), Adam Rodenberg (UC-something)

We have a scholarship open for next year, a juco big man or athletic swing-man would be very useful for this team, especially losing Koch and Sonnen.

[BCPanther]

Nice job Trees!

I was really impressed with how you played last night and came away really impressed with how Coach Lansing handles his team. He absolutely demands accountability which is rather refreshing. Jake Odum is the best guard in the league and your guys just feed off his toughness.

The better team definitely came away with a win last night.

As for UNI, we have to find an identity and find it quick. A team we thought was really really deep only really has eight guys that are effective on the floor and one of them (Buss) never seems to see the floor. It took AJ 16 shots to score 12 points last night and for a team built on efficiency that's just not going to get it done. I don't feel great about playing in Normal Saturday night and Evansville always gives us fits. An 0-4 start would be absolutely devastating to a team that thought it could compete for a league title.

[Ricardo del Rio]

I hadn't commented on some of the dumbass comments made by other UNI fans regarding jucos, transfers, etc. but UNI fans clearly have a short memory. EVERY ONE OF UNI's NCAA Tournament teams have featured juco and/or transfer players.

1990: Steve Phyfe (Oral Roberts), Brad Hill (juco)
2004: Matt Schneiderman (juco), Erik Crawford (Bowling Green) Pete Schmitt (Wisconsin) Jon Godfread (Utah)
2005: Crawford, Schmitt, Godfread
2006: Crawford
2009, 2010: Ali Farohkmanesh (juco), Adam Rodenberg (UC-something)

We have a scholarship open for next year, a juco big man or athletic swing-man would be very useful for this team, especially losing Koch and Sonnen.

Thanks.

Interesting.

There are not many teams, who never have a juco or transfer player.

[PowderBlue]

I've now been able to watch the Sycs enough this year to make some factual and informed comments...thanks Hawaii and ESPN3!

Anyway, it's been nice to watch them play recently, and the true testament of a mid-major is that you can't take a night off. That loss at Morehead could really hurt later on this year, as winning the MVC Tournament will be tougher this year than it was two years ago, IMO.

I have been incredibly impressed with Lansing this year. His growth has been tremendous. His use of timeouts in the second half last night was something every first year coach should be taking notes on. His players truly seem to trust him and work for him (unlike a couple of the seniors last year...but that's a different and more frustrating story). I've always thought Lansing was a good recruiter for our program and an adequate X's and O's guy. That opinion has changed this year.

Odum has become nearly everything all the homer fans hoped he would become. I rarely see that silly cross-court-from-under-the-basket-no-look-because-I-can pass from him anymore...THANK GOD. He's always had great instincts, but his maturity has really come around.

Arop had an awful game last night, but for the first time in a long time, having our best (or 2nd leading) true scorer shut down didn't hurt us. This team has run 10 deep against ILST and UNI and had four guys in double figures vs. the redbirds and two in double figures with two more netting 9 and 8 against the panthers. Offensive balance...I don't know what to do with myself.

The BIGGEST difference - in my mind - from the last two years is the offense that the starting 5 runs. The ball rarely hits the floor when they're feeling it. There were more than a few possessions in the last few games where no one dribbled more than twice. The ball movement has been incredible to watch compared with previous years. The second unit takes a step back here, but their defense makes up for it.

Some negatives...I still don't feel like we have a true backup PG. I don't feel like our bigs can play inside with true interior post players...Kitchell has made big strides defensively, but all three/four of our "post" players are more of post-perimeter guys. Samuels is really the only horse on the roster (JUCO) and he's out with a busted foot. At this point, you have to consider the medical redshirt for him to preserve his two years of eligibility...but that true inside post presence would be nice to have defensively.

While I still don't think this squad can keep up with Creighton...I have to think that if this level of play continues that they can be in that 2-4 range going into STL. If that happens, I'll be pulling out my hair over that silly Morehead State loss.

[PowderBlue]

Also, it's VERY early...but the big question moving forward after watching the last 5 games is can Gant sustain this newly found dominance?

Double-double vs. Ole Miss
Foul trouble vs. SDSU but scored 9 points
Shut down vs. Miami (who has a real true inside post presence)
Double-double vs. Illinois State in 26 minutes
18 and 6 vs. Northern Iowa in 26 minutes

[glm38]

Also, it's VERY early...but the big question moving forward after watching the last 5 games is can Gant sustain this newly found dominance?

Double-double vs. Ole Miss
Foul trouble vs. SDSU but scored 9 points
Shut down vs. Miami (who has a real true inside post presence)
Double-double vs. Illinois State in 26 minutes
18 and 6 vs. Northern Iowa in 26 minutes

If he can play well against Jackie and Tuttle (especially Jackie) - then he should be able to against the rest of the league......

[UNIFanSince1983]

Wichita, Creighton and Indiana State solidify their places as top 3 to beat.

While Indiana State could very well be the 3rd best team I am not certain they are that much better than the 4-7 teams. UNI played another hideously ugly game last night yet the game came down to the wire. I know it is tough to get a road win in the Valley, but with how we are playing right now it is less impressive. Especially if you saw how we played last night. Wichita and Creighton are the top 2 and that is as far as I am willing to go. Getting 1 early conference win against a team you are competing against (Illinois St.) is big. And winning another 1 on the road is also going to help. Right now they have the upper hand, but I still think they will be challenged for #3.

[jackwagon]

ISU sucks. Nobody on the team but Odum is an elite MVC player. Northern Iowa will turn it around. ISUB will finish 6th behind them and Ill. St. Just getting lucky so far

[Khan4Cats]

ISU sucks. Nobody on the team but Odum is an elite MVC player. Northern Iowa will turn it around. ISUB will finish 6th behind them and Ill. St. Just getting lucky so far

Like I said earlier in this thread, what I saw from ISU Wednesday night reminded me a lot of the UNI teams of 3-4 years ago. Nothing flashy to stick out at anyone but just finding a way to win. Comments like these were common about UNI back then as well.