Saturday MVC games

[tornado]

Northern Iowa down 7 at half to Colorado State 42-35 (Colorado State picked 7th in Mountain West)
Only 7 FT attempted - so don't tell me it can't be done
In our game last night - Ball State was in the bonus with our guys at 10 fouls even BEFORE the first (16:00) timeout!!!


edit - 5 min into the 2nd half now tied 48-48 - still only 7 FT attempts

[Da Coach]

In the first of 2 MVC games today (Sat. 11/14), UNI is hosting Colorado State. It has been a real run and gun style so far. The game is on ESPN3.com
Colorado State is playing very well, and lead most of the 1st half, by as much as 8 points. But UNi has come out hot at the start of the 2nd half, and it is now tied at 48-48 with about 15 minutes left in the game. UNI's Jeremy Morgan looks improved and is carrying UNI so far. It's been a very entertaining game to watch.
Box score-

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/playbyplay?gameId=400809218

[tornado]

now 6:32 to go and UNI down 69-58

...weird tho that up most of the game - Colorado State coach Larry Eustachy has already used all his timeouts & has none left!

Loyola should win the other MVC game today so if MVC goes 1-1 today, they will be 6-4 on the season
and only 1-2 in the MVC/MWC Challenge

[tornado]

Here's the ESPN link to watch this game

there's 3:43 left with UNI down 71-64 - neither team has a time out - so this will be interesting to watch with few stoppages

again....crowd looks awfully sparse - gotta wonder if bowing to the ESPN people who may be influencing the schedule
to get these really early games - might be hurting actual attendance

[Da Coach]

Colordao State stayed hot and pulled out to a double digit lead at Northern Iowa. Uni now trails 71-64 with about 3 minutes left

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=400809218

Some observations- UNI's defense, something Coach Jacobson is known for stressing, was not very good in this game, and CSU was getting a lot of easy open shots.
UNI has very little inside game this year without Tuttle, Rank, and Singleton. Bennett Koch and Ted Friedman look slow and unathletic, and down the stretch, UNI played with 5 guards on the floor (Morgan, Bohannon, Washpun, Austin, and 6'6" Paul Jesperson, who is listed by UNI as a guard).
So it looks like UNI will rely heavily on perimeter shooting this year. They have cut the lead to 5, but time is running out.

Colorado State was picked 7th in the Mountain West's preseason poll, while UNI was picked 3rd in the MVC preseason poll.

[tornado]

UNI loses
Colorado State 84 - UNI 78

UNI with a really uncharacteristic weak defense ...giving up lots of easy baskets, easy drives and layups, very weak in the low post.....and more than 80 points

btw- gotta love the UNI student with the large cutout cardboard face of Hillary Clinton in a particularly uncomplimentary pose

Broadcasters really somewhat critical of Ben Jacobson's decision to redshirt FOUR players-
with fouls and a tight game and a thin frontcourt to begin with - UNI could really use a few more players!

[Da Coach]

UNI came back with their 5-guard lineup, which stayed on the floor the last 8-9 minutes of the game, and made it close, but they were not able to stop CSU from scoring and Colorado State held on to win in Cedar Falls
Final score: Colorado State 84 UNI 78

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=400809218

A tough loss for UNI, but they look very vulnerable with their almost total lack of an inside game, shallow bench, and their less efficient defense they showed in this game.
Coach Jacobson may have to reconsider redshirting 4 freshmen.

[Da Coach]

In the other MVC today (Sat. 11/14) Loyola easily beat Eureka 75-44, despite shooting only 15% 93-20) from three, and not getting much from their bench-

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=400844417