Northern Iowa

[filbert]

Re: Northern Iowa

They're pretty unhappy over on Panther Nation:

http://www.panthernation.com/showthr...t=14715&page=2

All I can say is . . .

GOOD!

[JimmyJack]

Re: Northern Iowa

Just got home from the game. Talked to Terry V after the game and he said there was just a whole different feeling from the team tonight. The effort reminded me of the women's team, to be honest. Things that stick in my mind: Palarca made it really tough for their point guard and surprised UNI when he made some free throws. Loney is strong and was able to body up on that giant monster of a post man. Beran's hustle seems to be wearing off on the rest of the team. Kai is still very efficient: He just appears when you need a board or a shot. Callahan is quietly becoming a great two. And the defense was just amazing. UNI was really frustrated by our tenacity.

Lots of fun. Decent crowd for the night after Thanksgiving. UNI had a nice contingent of very disappointed fans. It'll be fun tomorrow to read the Cedar Falls and Des Moines newspapers.

Great win for the Jacks. This team has some talent.

[filbert]

Re: Northern Iowa

Not real pleased on the Valley Talk board either:

http://valleytalk.net/showthread.php?t=5690

I gotta admit, after the past few years, I'm really enjoying the wailing and gnashing of teeth by "our betters."

[filbert]

Re: Northern Iowa

Oh, yeah, one more thing . . .

Say goodbye to an RPI in the 300's . . . we're a BASKETBALL school, dag nab it!

Go Rabbits!

(sorry, I seem to be getting smacky . . . must be the Morgan and Coke Zero . . . )

[JimmyJack]

Re: Northern Iowa

Not real pleased on the Valley Talk board either:

http://valleytalk.net/showthread.php?t=5690

I gotta admit, after the past few years, I'm really enjoying the wailing and gnashing of teeth by "our betters."

That's an amusing thread. Lots of explanations. I like the "they mixed up their D's in the second half" one. Yeah we really mixed it up.: MAN-to-man one time down the floor, then man-to-MAN the next time.

I hope it isn't too smacky to point out that USD gave up 89 points to Chadron State the other night. Meanwhile, we hold UNI to 55. Um... you have to play defense in D1, and matchup zone won't cut it. Defense won this game for us tonight.

Anywho... Bring on Idaho for a little revenge.

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: Northern Iowa

Way to go JACKS! Switched over from the ladies game out here to find out the outcome, and was thrilled that we won. We have a much better team than last year (said multiple times before), but it is taking time to jell, and a win over UNI is a real confidence-booster for this team. Hope we can continue it at Idaho...this certainly won't hurt!!!

What would I do without the fan board to get up-to-the minute reports. Thanks Jack posters!!!

[bub94]

Re: Northern Iowa

Just forced an offensive foul, I think. Lots of hand-slapping by Rabbits.

Oof. Mr. Bassett just butt-charged while backing in, turning it back over.

I think Vlade D. from the Lakers taught the UNI defender the art of the flop on that one. There was no way Bassett was able to knock that guy down with the little contact there was.

[bub94]

Re: Northern Iowa

Just got home from the game. Talked to Terry V after the game and he said there was just a whole different feeling from the team tonight. The effort reminded me of the women's team, to be honest. Things that stick in my mind: Palarca made it really tough for their point guard and surprised UNI when he made some free throws. Loney is strong and was able to body up on that giant monster of a post man. Beran's hustle seems to be wearing off on the rest of the team. Kai is still very efficient: He just appears when you need a board or a shot. Callahan is quietly becoming a great two. And the defense was just amazing. UNI was really frustrated by our tenacity.

Lots of fun. Decent crowd for the night after Thanksgiving. UNI had a nice contingent of very disappointed fans. It'll be fun tomorrow to read the Cedar Falls and Des Moines newspapers.

Great win for the Jacks. This team has some talent.

I agree with everything you wrote. I was at the game too. I did notice even more hustle in the second half compared to the first half. I couldn't believe there was only one over-the-back called against their center. Kai, Callahan, and Clint are going to be very tired tonight. Not to take away from the great effort of the rest of the team, but those 3 were on the court a lot tonight. Bassett played well too. The work our big guys did against their center was amazing in the second half. I don't believe he scored in the second half. Very good game to sit and watch in the stands. I think the attendance number was not even close to what they said. There was way more than 1300 people there. Good job Jacks!!

[SiouxFallsJack]

Re: Northern Iowa

Just got back from the game and it was great to get a win over a MVC team. This was the best defense I've seen us play in a very long time. Everyone hustled and this is a good win to build on. Just think we are now 2-2 and have held a lead in the second half of all four games. I would count this as our biggest win when taking into account the number of players we have recruited out of Iowa. I'm not saying we will be stealing recruits away from UNI but it is nice to get a win over a regional team.

On the lighter side, not sure if I have seen a team flop as much as UNI did tonight. UNI's coach was lobbying the officials all night to get these performances submitted to the Academy for Oscar consideration next year.

[Cadsev]

Re: Northern Iowa

Just got home from the game...decent crowd for a holiday weekend but more of a curious crowd than supportive. People got louder near the end when it became evident the team was going to pull out a big WIN!

Michael Loney is my player of the game. Did an outstanding job the second half and spurted the offensive run early in the second half to pull the team even and then eventually ahead. Hats off to the 2nd half defensive effort of Michael Palarca. He locked down the UNI guards and disrupted their offensive flow the second half.

Overall solid team effort. Only 7 turnovers the entire game so much improved there. Maybe a slower pace is whats needed for this young team to settle down and make better decisions with the ball. It worked tonight. Freethrows were made tonight when needed especially in clutch time down the stretch. Garrett Callahan had some big FT's down the stretch.

The team continues to struggle from 3's. Kai couldn't find the range tonight but hit some nice medium range jumpers. When he curls in the lane he's unstoppable and deadly. Needs to continue to be aggressive on offensive like he was tonight to continue to take pressure off the guards. He did a great job on the boards near the end of the game.

Ben Beran was physical and a great leader tonight. He showed a ton of heart playing against a solid big man from UNI. Their big created many problems in the first half but didn't do anything the second half. He had 16 at the break but was silent most of the 2nd half.

Eric Coleman was non-existent tonight and not a factor at all. The two consecutive Missouri Valley Player of the week did absolutely 0 tonight. He could have cared less and seemed agitated most of the game. Big break for SDSU not having him play to his level he has shown all year.

Exciting win for SDSU. Hard to believe people aren't showing up for the games. I could care less about wins/losses. It's quality DI basketball and tonights game was against a tournament team the past 2 years. Time to understand the level of play is much different from the NCC and it's a great brand of basketball. Tonight was a fun game and a fantastic win. Something to build on for next week....which gets tougher.

[Jack4Life]

Re: Northern Iowa

Back in Yankton, great game for the Jacks. Blue Hat, you looked a little lonely in the student section.

Thought the Jacks really stepped it up the second half. Allowed too many offensive rebounds first half. Played really tough D the second half. Loney did a tremendous job against their big men.

BTW, what happend to the big man in the second half? He sat on the bench quite a bit and then when he was in, played more perimeter than inside.

No matter...great win for Jacks. Nagy really sounded pumped in post game interview.

[joeboo22]

Re: Northern Iowa

From what I could tell from an audioless summit television.... The guards played ALOT better they didn't over dribble they made good post feeds and took good shots.... Kai looked great I don't care that he only scored 13 points he played smart, didn't do too much, crashed the boards and played good defense.... Loney played good... The whole team played pretty darn good.... The officials let a lot go which I really like.... When it comes to attendance I don't know what to say, I have been to BHSU, SDSM&T, USD, MMC, DWU, and SDSU games in the past and it just seems to have changed from when I went when I was in Junior High and High School compared to today.... I think SDSU's biggest problem is notable opponents in the past they haven't played anybody at home anybody knew and now that they are nobody cares they are going to have to prove to the average fan that they are worth coming to watch..... Again great win now keep them coming.....

[filbert]

Re: Northern Iowa

Re: Loney--I think his niche this year is to be a wily veteran coming off the bench to drive opposing front-line players absolutely crazy, give the five fouls, and be as aggressive as possible when he's in the game.

Re: the pace: much agree. For the first time I've seen them this season, the team looked like they knew what they were trying to do, and knew that they could do it. They looked like Jackrabbit Basketball tonight.

Re: the crowd: I think they'll return when they see that the team is a) giving superior effort and b) winning against recognizable names, like Northern Iowa. Fans aren't sure what they have with the men's team right now. If they see a scrappy team that gives it all on the court and doesn't ever give up, they'll respond positively.

The men will be playing in front of a full house soon enough, if they continue to put out the kind of effort they did against UNI.

It will also be a while before the fan base gets used to Centenary instead of Augustana, to Oral Roberts instead of Morningside or Mankato, to UMKC instead of UNO.

But I agree wholeheartedly with Cadsev, most South Dakota basketball fans don't realize how much better Summit League basketball is compared the D-II ball that they've become accustomed to over the years. The athletes are just simply better, faster, stronger, more capable and skilled.

I remind all that last year's Summit League champion, Oral Roberts, went into Kansas' Allen Fieldhouse and beat the Jayhawks. Beat them rather soundly, in fact.

And now, finally, SDSU has enough of those D-I-level athletes to put a competitive team on the court.
There will be a lot of very, very good basketball being played in Frost Arena this year, and the years to come, and a lot of that basketball will be played by the SDSU Jackrabbits.

The Jackrabbit Express train is at last leaving the station for men's basketball. Time to get on board!

[LakeJack]

Re: Northern Iowa

I can use a free "ice scraper" as well.

Liked the ice scraper, loved the W! Way to go Jacks!

[JimmyJack]

Re: Northern Iowa

Just got home from the game...decent crowd for a holiday weekend but more of a curious crowd than supportive.

I agree. I think the fans are just starting to get to know this team, and from what I saw last night, they're starting to really like them. That was missing last year. Outside of a Kai Williams dunk now and then, there was more groaning than cheering. It's going to take a little time for the fans to believe, but something started to change last night.

I have watched a lot of SDSU basketball over the years, and it seems to me that what our fans respond most to is effort. By the end of last year, the players were so emotionally drained that it wore on the fans, too. Last night, players were diving on the floor. Loney (our least athletic player) found somebody less athletic than him (Egleseder) and took him off the dribble, which delighted the crowd. And don't discount Palarca's defensive effort as a crowd-pleaser. Even something as simple as making free throws builds a bond with fans (we appreciate the monotonous practice that leads to free throw success, I think.)

One of the things fans love about the women's basketball and football teams, is their unflappable team spirit. They hustle no matter what. Last night I saw that from the men's basketball team. If we keep playing with that kind of fire, the fans will come back and they'll like what they see.

On the lighter side, not sure if I have seen a team flop as much as UNI did tonight. UNI's coach was lobbying the officials all night to get these performances submitted to the Academy for Oscar consideration next year.

My favorite flop was UNI's point guard towards the end of the game who flopped with absolutely no contact from Callahan. Garrett swung the ball from one side to the other and it was as if the breeze from the ball took the legs out from under #14. It was poetic justice. A few possessions earlier with UNI on offense, #14 was moving without the ball and purposely ran into Garrett who wasn't looking. #14 bounced off Callahan and fell his back as if he'd been pushed. It reminded me of my 3-year-old playing superhero and pretending he is shoved to the ground by some invisible monster. I suppose it was a pretty savvy way to create a foul on Callahan... and unfortunately the ref bought it.


Here's the media coverage of the game:

http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2...6083888346.txt

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...711240329/1002