At UNI Saturday, January 13, 7pm on ESPN2

[M]

I've heard your cries.....With my topic starting help, the team has won back to back MVC games for the first time in school history    Looking to keep the streak alive vs. a down on their luck UNI team. 

Gimme the Crusaders 78-70!

[VULB#62]

Being superstitious, I'd suggest you, as the originator, switch the Message Icon to Game Thread just like the others you did 

[valpotx]

Very tough one.  I haven't followed UNI to see why they have lost 7 in a row, but winning on their court can't be easy.  I will be pessimistic:

UNI 69
Valpo 63

[talksalot]

So... who is UNI...

11-10     at    N. Carolina     13-4 (2-2)   9    69-86    L
  11-13         Alcorn St.     0-13 (0-4)   349    73-45    W
  11-18         Chicago St.     0-16 (0-1)   310    82-44    W
  11-22     vs    SMU     12-6 (2-3)   91    61-58    W - Battle for Atlantis
  11-23     vs    N.C. State     11-5 (1-2)   116    64-60    W - Battle for Atlantis
  11-24     vs    Villanova     15-1 (3-1)   3    50-64    L - Battle for Atlantis
  11-29         UNLV     13-4 (2-2)   154    77-68    W
  12-07         TX Arlington     10-6 (2-1)   139    62-58    W
  12-16     vs    Iowa St.     9-6 (0-4)   114    65-76    L
  12-22         Xavier     15-3 (3-2)   6    67-77    L
  12-28         Southern Ill.     9-8 (2-3)   150    53-56    L
  12-31     at    Bradley     12-5 (3-2)   102    53-72    L
  01-04     at    Missouri St.     12-5 (3-2)   72    55-62    L
  01-07         Loyola Chicago     12-4 (3-2)   96    50-56    L
  01-10     at    Indiana St.     6-9 (3-2)   165    67-69    L
and realtimeRpi predicts this:
  01-13         Valparaiso     9-7 (2-3)   130    76-70 W - Scouting   

Roster:
1 Adam McDermott G 6-4 183 R-So. Cedar Rapids, Iowa / C.R. Xavier/North Dakota
2 Klint Carlson F 6-7 218 R-Sr. Waverly, Iowa / Waverly-Shell Rock  STARTER
3 Ted Friedman C 6-9 245 R-Sr. Ankeny, Iowa / Ankeny
4 Tywhon Pickford G 6-4 202 Fr. Minneapolis, Minn. / Maple Grove  STARTER
5 Rafael de Souza G 6-1 185 Sr. Jundiai, Brazil / Gulf Coast State College
10 Miles Wentzien G 6-3 190 Jr. Fort Madison, Iowa / Fort Madison
12 Lincoln Conrey F 6-5 203 R-So. Waterloo, Iowa / Waterloo West
13 Juwan McCloud G 5-11 170 So. Germantown, Wis. / Germantown  STARTER
15 Justin Dahl C 7-0 261 R-So. Carver, Minn. / Holy Family
21 Hunter Rhodes G 5-10 170 Sr. Canton, Ill. / Canton/Kirkwood CC
22 Tanner Lohaus F 6-7 205 R-Fr. North Liberty, Iowa / Iowa City West
24 Isaiah Brown G 6-7 180 So. Flower Mound, Texas / Flower Mound  STARTER
25 Bennett Koch F 6-10 239 R-Sr. Ashwaubenon, Wis. / Ashwaubenon  STARTER
30 Spencer Haldeman G 6-1 175 R-So. Peosta, Iowa / Western Dubuque
33 Wyatt Lohaus G 6-2 192 R-Jr. North Liberty, Iowa / Iowa City West
34 Luke McDonnell F 6-9 212 R-So. Dubuque, Iowa / Dubuque Senior
50 Austin Phyfe F 6-9 235 Fr. Waverly, Iowa / Waverly-Shell Rock

GAME STATISTICS
Player         GP   MIN   PPG   RPG   APG   SPG   BPG   TPG   FG%   FT%   3P%
Bennett Koch   17   24.8   13.2   6.6   0.5   0.6   1.0   2.2   .561   .800   .000  STARTER
Tywhon Pickford   17   30.6   10.2   8.9   1.4   0.6   0.2   1.0   .384   .750   .241  STARTER
Wyatt Lohaus   9   22.1   9.2   3.3   2.0   0.3   0.0   1.0   .403   .750   .485  29-MINUTES 12 POINTS, 1 REB 3 AST
Klint Carlson   17   31.9   9.2   5.8   1.8   0.6   0.3   2.1   .397   .650   .322  STARTER
Juwan McCloud   17   29.1   8.0   1.6   2.4   1.2   0.1   1.8   .340   .680   .288  STARTER
Spencer Haldeman   16   19.6   7.1   1.7   1.2   0.6   0.0   1.3   .453   .680   .467  3-MINUTES, NO STATS
Isaiah Brown   17   24.4   6.5   2.6   1.6   0.8   0.2   1.1   .394   .667   .382  STARTER
Miles Wentzien   4   13.3   3.3   1.3   1.5   0.8   0.0   1.8   .333   1.000   .333
Adam McDermott   8   9.8   2.0   0.9   0.5   0.5   0.0   0.3   .357   1.000   .417
Austin Phyfe   14   9.0   1.9   1.1   0.1   0.1   0.0   0.3   .571   .429   .000  11-MINUTES, 6 POINTS 3 REBS 3 FOULS
Hunter Rhodes   10   9.8   1.6   0.9   0.4   0.4   0.0   0.2   .462   1.000   .600  12-MINUTES, NO STATS
Lincoln Conrey   4   3.3   1.5   0.5   0.0   0.3   0.0   0.0   .600   .000   .000
Tanner Lohaus   6   5.5   1.3   1.5   0.3   0.2   0.2   0.0   .250   .500   .500
Luke McDonnell   7   4.9   1.1   1.4   0.1   0.3   0.7   0.3   .444   .000   .000
Ted Friedman   12   6.7   0.8   1.6   0.3   0.1   0.1   0.3   .571   .400   .000
Justin Dahl   2   4.0   0.0   0.5   0.0   0.0   0.0   1.0   .000   .000   .000
Totals   17   --   65   36   11   6   2   12   .418   .715   .349

UNI's take on the Indiana State Game

The PRE-game notes:
UNI MEN'S BASKETBALL STORYLINES AT INDIANA STATE
• The University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team (8-8 overall, 0-4 MVC) will head to Indiana State (7-9, 2-2 MVC) for a matchup on Wednesday. Tip is set for 6 p.m. (CT) at the Hulman Center.

• UNI freshman guard Tywhon Pickford is tied for third among freshman guards who have recorded double-doubles this season. Oklahoma's Trae Young (8) and Duquesne's Eric Williams Jr. (6) are the only freshman guards with more than four double-doubles this season.

• Pickford (6'4") is the nation's top rebounder (9.1 rpg) under 6'5". Pickford ranks No. 7 in the nation among all freshmen.

• UNI ranks No. 7 in the nation in scoring defense. The Panthers are giving up 60.8 points per game.

• UNI has played the 12th-toughest schedule in nation. UNI's opponents have combined for a record of 130-74 (.637).

• UNI is ranked No. 15 in the nation in field goal percentage defense (38.2).

• UNI has made at least one 3-pointer in 577 straight games – the longest active streak in the Missouri Valley Conference. It also ranks as the 32nd-longest active streak among all NCAA Division I teams.

and the outcome:

TERRE HAUTE, Indiana - The Indiana State Sycamores scored on a tip in at the buzzer to post a 69-67 win over the University of Northern Iowa men's basketball squad on Wednesday at the Hulman Center.

UNI had rallied from a five-point deficit in the final 20 seconds to knot the score at 69-69 on a three-pointer from Wyatt Lohaus and a layup by Tywhon Pickford after a steal.

Indiana State's Jordan Barnes brought the ball down the floor with the score tied at 69-69 and launched a three-pointer that was missed, but the errant shot was tipped in by Brandon Murphy as the buzzer sounded to give the Sycamores a two-point win.

The Panthers started slowly and fell down 9-0 early, but came right back and scored the game's next nine points. UNI went on a 24-6 run after the early nine-point deficit. UNI would eventually lead by as many as 11 points in the first half at 26-15 with 7:34 on the clock.

UNI would lead by seven points at the break at 38-31. But the Sycamores came out and buried its first four three-pointers of the second half and tied the game at 44-44. Barnes led the Sycamore charge with a game-high 27 points. Barnes also added nine rebounds.

The Panthers trailed by eight at 61-53 with 5:43 left in the game before battling back to even it up at 67-67.

Pickford tied a career-high with 18 points and he added seven rebounds. Isaiah Brown scored 13 points, grabbed six rebounds, handed out five assists and tallied four steals.


Games are played t the McLeod Center...
It was talked about for years and in November 2006, the McLeod Center opened for business. A 6,500-plus seat venue that houses UNI's basketball and volleyball programs, it is connected to the south end of the UNI-Dome.

Seating
3,200 East and west chair backs
1,662 South wooden bleacher seats
655 North retractable seats
328 North concourse removable bleachers
500 Standing room observation decks
137 Court side seats
268 Concourse seats
6,750 Total sellable seats (including handicapped)
Total capacity 7,018

[covufan]

After starting 0-5 in the MVC UNI will be coming to play on their home court.  Tough game.

I think that we've found some starting and substitution combinations that are really working.  I'm hoping that we are able to break UNI of their slower approach during stretches of this game.  If we continue to play well...

Valpo   71
UNI     69

[M]

Well, I'll have you know I've never messed with the icon on any thread.  If it's been changed in the past it wasn't by me!  So my superstitious self is going to leave it as is. 

[FieldGoodie05]

After starting 0-5 in the MVC UNI will be coming to play on their home court.  Tough game.

I think that we've found some starting and substitution combinations that are really working.  I'm hoping that we are able to break UNI of their slower approach during stretches of this game.  If we continue to play well...

Valpo   71
UNI     69

Valpo 54 UNI 63

[talksalot]

OH, THE OTHER stat...

first meeting: 1979-80
last meeting:  2004-05
all-time VU record:  2-22

[valpo84]

The UNI teams of the old AMCU-8/Mid-Con were always tough.  Have we ever won at UNI?  The years I most remember are the Eldon Miller years.  After he "left" Ohio State and went to UNI.  At OSU he had the Clark Kellogg and Brad Sellers years and some good outcomes.  At UNI, the 89-90 team was very memorable and upset an excellent Missouri team (Anthony Peeler and Travis Ford among others).  They used to play in the inflatable dome if I remember correctly.  It is good to renew some of these old AMCU-8 match ups like UNI, and SMST (Missouri State).

http://wcfcourier.com/sports/college/uni/mens_basketball/panther-tracks---team-relives-glory-days/article_af87b686-0913-11e1-b0ec-001cc4c002e0.html

[valpolaw]

I'm going with Valpo by about 10 if we can limit our turnovers.  I think we've got some good confidence going and rotations that are starting to click fairly well. 

[VUfan]

A good chance to get our First MVC road win, this team is having problems, but they have some good wins VU 74 NIU 67. 

[VULB#62]

Any thoughtful ideas on why UNI has lost every single game since December 7th?  That is so weird. What the heck changed?   This is so strange. What are we running into here?

[valpo04]

Well, I'll have you know I've never messed with the icon on any thread.  If it's been changed in the past it wasn't by me!  So my superstitious self is going to leave it as is. 

...I've done my part 

[oklahomamick]

Is this a must win game for uni?  Seems like a "circle the wagons" type of game uni.  We will get a desperate uni team that will give us their best shot. 

Is the team driving or flying?

[VU2014]

Is this a must win game for uni?  Seems like a "circle the wagons" type of game uni.  We will get a desperate uni team that will give us their best shot. 

Is the team driving or flying?

I think it has become a must win for UNI. It's at home and it's going to be on ESPN2. They don't want be playing in the 1st rounds of Arch Madness in the bottom 4, I think those games are on a Thursday. They are 2 games behind 9th place. I'm guessing the team is driving to Cedar Falls.

[underdawg]

Hitting a bunch of threes, again, is one way to beat UNI or anyone else in the league--but if you look at most of the results this year it is the defense of a team that will give them a win. Offense comes and goes but you can always play with intensity on the "D" side of the ball (you CAN do that but we have inexplicably forgotten to do that several times already ). UNI will pack it in on defense and dare you to hit the outside shot

[SanityLost17]

I watched UNI several times early in the season.  Based on those viewings I would have said they were going to win the MVC this year.  I simply do not understand how that team can be 0-5 right now.   

They are going to wake up sooner or later.  They are at home on national TV playing with their backs up against the wall.  We lose in overtime by 2. 

[a3uge]

I watched UNI several times early in the season.  Based on those viewings I would have said they were going to win the MVC this year.  I simply do not understand how that team can be 0-5 right now.   

They are going to wake up sooner or later.  They are at home on national TV playing with their backs up against the wall.  We lose in overtime by 2.

They looked really good vs UNLV. I remember thinking how much better the competition was between those two schools vs the schedule Valpo had played. That's still probably true, but how does a front-runner lose to SIU at home?

[Just Sayin]

I watched UNI several times early in the season.  Based on those viewings I would have said they were going to win the MVC this year.  I simply do not understand how that team can be 0-5 right now.   

They are going to wake up sooner or later.  They are at home on national TV playing with their backs up against the wall.  We lose in overtime by 2.

They are a very good team.

[VUGrad1314]

UNI played better competition by a wide margin than any MVC team not named Illinois State and showed extremely well again at it. Even though the MVC is a more than solid conference with tough road environments and good competition from top to bottom, I believe their 0-5 start is absolutely perplexing. Conference front-runners don't do that. This is an absolute must win for them and I believe it is for us as well if we want to avoid playing on Thursday come tournament time. I hope we're ready because we're going to be walking into a very difficult road environment against a truly desperate and hungry team packed with talent on national TV.

[FieldGoodie05]

UNI played better competition by a wide margin than any MVC team not named Illinois State and showed extremely well again at it. Even though the MVC is a more than solid conference with tough road environments and good competition from top to bottom, I believe their 0-5 start is absolutely perplexing. Conference front-runners don't do that. This is an absolute must win for them and I believe it is for us as well if we want to avoid playing on Thursday come tournament time. I hope we're ready because we're going to be walking into a very difficult road environment against a truly desperate and hungry team packed with talent on national TV.

Very well said, I'm also in agreement.  0-5 makes it even more paramount that we don't fall behind early.  They are hungry, far hungrier than our 2-3.  This is a proud team that plays solid defense in the games I've watched, they just aren't filling it up.  But home games are where Offense gets healthy quick.

[agibson]

UNI played better competition by a wide margin than any MVC team not named Illinois State and showed extremely well again at it.

I'm surprised to see how the NCSOS shook out for the conference. Looking at kenpom stats. Ours is middle of the pack in the MVC, 233rd of 351 in the country. Loyola 329, Bradley 294, Evansville 283. Maybe we just front-loaded our cupcakes, and plenty of teams saved them for dessert.

[VU2014]

Is the team driving or flying?

Sounds like they flew
https://twitter.com/ValpoBasketball/status/951915762914152449

[crusadermoe]

It will be important to match up strong with Bennett Koch.  He isn't strongly built.  But he has really good footwork and a nice touch so you may see the twin 7'0" line up so they can share the fouls. 

Winning at UNI would be a strong statement.  I see a 6 point loss, but a soiid game from us still trending in the right direction..   

[justducky]

Both teams should desperately want this game.

I am expecting a close, wire to wire, all out effort which might initiate a long and strong rivalry. As for winners and losers, yes we will have one of each.