Valpo, UNI Set for ESPN2 Clash Saturday

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Valparaiso (11-7, 2-3) at UNI (8-9, 0-5)
Sat., Jan. 14, 2018 • 7 p.m.
Cedar Falls, Iowa (McLeod Center)

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TICKETS
Fans can purchase single-game tickets to UNI men's basketball home games through UNITIX.
   Call 319-273-4849 or visit www.unipanthers.com/tickets.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television
ESPN2
Play-by-Play: Mitch Holthus
Analyst: Malcolm Huckaby

Radio, TuneIn App
Panther Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Gary Rima
Analyst: Kevin Boyle
Flagship Station - KXEL 1540-AM
On the Web - www.UNIPanthers.com

Stats
UNI.Statbroadcast.com

SERIES NOTES
All-Time Series: UNI leads 22-2
Last Meeting: UNI 67, Valparaiso 49 (Dec. 30, 2004)
UNI is 11-0 all-time at home against Valparaiso. All 11 of those matchups occurred in the UNI-Dome.

UNI MEN'S BASKETBALL STORYLINES VS. VALPARAISO
• The University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team (8-9 overall, 0-5 MVC) returns to the McLeod Center Saturday for a matchup against the Valparaiso Crusaders (11-7 overall, 2-3 MVC). Tip is set for 7 p.m.

• 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 (8.9 rpg) under 6'5". Pickford ranks No. 7 in the nation in rebounds among all freshmen.

• Junior guard Wyatt Lohaus ranks first and sophomore guard Spencer Haldeman ranks second among MVC players in scoring without making a start this season. Lohaus is scoring 9.2 points per game, while Haldeman is averaging 7.1 points per game.

• Sophomore guard Isaiah Brown stuffed his stat sheet with 13 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals on Wednesday at Indiana State. Brown made 6-of-11 shots from the field as he played a career-high 39 minutes.

• UNI ranks No. 9 in the nation in scoring defense. The Panthers are giving up 61.2 points per game.

UNI MEN'S BASKETBALL NOTES VS. VALPARAISO

VALPARAISO CRUSADERS
The Valparaiso Crusaders are the newest members of the Missouri Valley Conference having joined the league on July 1, 2017.
   Valpo spent the previous 10 seasons as a member of the Horizon League.
   The Crusaders are led by second-year head coach Matt Lottich.
   Valpo is led in scoring by Tevonn Walker (16.6 ppg) and Bakari Evelyn (10.3 ppg).

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. VALPO
UNI owns a 22-2 lead in the all-time series vs. Valparaiso.
   The teams have not met since the 2004-05 season when UNI scored a 67-49 win over Valpo in Las Vegas on Dec. 30, 2004.
   The Panthers are 11-0 at home all-time against the Crusaders - with all 11 of the matchups taking place in the UNI-Dome.
   Valpo's last trip to Cedar Falls came Jan. 21, 1991, and UNI posted a 64-55 victory in the UNI-Dome.

THE YOUNG SHALL LEAD
A trio of underclassmen stepped up at Indiana State on Wednesday for the Panthers in sophomore Isaiah Brown and true freshmen Austin Phyfe and Tywhon Pickford.
   Brown stuffed his stat sheet with 13 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals. Brown made 6-of-11 shots from the field as he played a career-high 39 minutes.
   Phyfe buried both of his field goal attempts and scored six points to go with three rebounds in 11 minutes against the Sycamores.
   Freshman Tywhon Pickford matched his career-high scoring with 18 points and seven rebounds against the Sycamores. Pickford tied the game at 67-67 on a layup with :10.6 seconds left after a steal from sophomore point guard Juwan McCloud.

TWO SPARKS OFF THE BENCH
UNI is getting a pair of scoring bursts off the bench from junior Wyatt Lohaus and sophomore Spencer Haldeman.
   Lohaus ranks first and Haldeman ranks second among MVC players in scoring without making a start this season.
   Lohaus is scoring 9.2 points per game, while Haldeman is averaging 7.1 points per game.

COUNTLESS 3-POINT BOMBERS
Through 17 games, UNI has six players who have made at least 16 3-pointers this season.
   Spencer Haldeman (28), Isaiah Brown (21), Tywhon Pickford (20), Klint Carlson (19), Juwan McCloud (17) and Wyatt Lohaus (16) have all made at least 16 shots from 3-point land this season.
   UNI is averaging 7.8 made 3-pointers per game.

UNI'S 3-POINT STREAK
UNI has made at least one 3-pointer in 578 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.
   The last time UNI failed to make a 3-point basket came Feb. 3, 2000, vs. Southern Illinois in a 72-58 Panther victory in the UNI-Dome. UNI went 0-for-4 from 3-point land vs. the Salukis in that contest.

FROSH GUARD DOUBLE-DOUBLES
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 is tied with Murray State guard Ja Morant with four double-doubles in 2017-18.

PICKFORD DOUBLES UP
UNI freshman guard Tywhon Pickford has reached double figures in rebounds eight times this season.
   Pickford has registered a team-best four double-doubles. Pickford has recorded double-doubles against Alcorn State (16 pts., 10 rbs.), North Carolina State (18 pts., 18 rbs.), Missouri State (18 pts., 10 rbs.) and Loyola (15 pts., 11 rbs.).
   Pickford is the first MVC freshman since Bradley's Josh Cunningham (2014-15) to register four double-doubles as a freshman.

UNI's Active Double-Double List
Bennett Koch (4)
Tywhon Pickford (4)
Klint Carlson (1)
Luke McDonnell (1)

UNI's Double-Double Leaders (since 2000)
Joe Breakenridge (17) - 2000-01
Eric Coleman (16) - 2007-08
Grant Stout (13) - 2005-06
Eric Coleman (13) - 2006-07
Grant Stout (12) - 2006-07
Grant Stout (8) - 2004-05
Seth Tuttle (7) - 2013-14
David Gruber (6) - 2001-02
Jordan Eglseder (6) - 2008-09
Jordan Eglseder (6) - 2009-10
Matt Schneiderman (5) - 2002-03
Seth Tuttle (5) - 2012-13
Seth Tuttle (5) - 2014-15
David Gruber (4) - 2002-03
Eric Coleman (4) - 2005-06
Adam Koch (4) - 2008-09
Seth Tuttle (4) - 2011-12
Tywhon Pickford (4) - 2017-18

NATION'S BEST REBOUNDER
UNDER 6'5"
UNI freshman guard Tywhon Pickford is the nation's top rebounder under 6'5". Pickford (6'4") is averaging 8.9 rebounds per game.
   Niagara's Matt Scott (6'4") is the nation's next best rebounder under 6'5". Scott is averaging 8.1 rebounds per contest.

FRESHMEN REBOUNDERS
UNI's Tywhon Pickford ranks No. 7 in the nation in rebounds among freshmen at 8.9 per game.

Freshman Rebounders
1.   Marvin Bagley III (Duke)   11.8
2.    Deandre Ayton (Arizona)   11.6
3.   Mohamed Bamba (Texas)   10.5
4.   Brandon McCoy (UNLV)   9.9
5.   Oshae Brissett (Syracuse)   9.7
6.   Eric Williams Jr. (Duquesne)   9.5
7.   Tywhon Pickford (UNI)   8.9
8.   Wendell Carter Jr. (Duke)   8.6
9.   Terry Taylor (Austin Peay)   8.3
10.   Romello White (Arizona State   8.2

MVC Freshmen Double-Doubles (since 1997)
9 -- Doug McDermott, Creighton (2010-11)
6 -- Danny Granger, Bradley (2001-02)
6 -- Patrick O'Bryant, Bradley (2004-05)
5 -- Jamar Howard, Wichita State (2001-02)
4 -- Josh Cunningham, Bradley (2014-15)
4 -- Tywhon Pickford, UNI (2017-18)

PICKFORD TO THE GLASS
Pickford ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference in rebounding (8.9 rpg). He ranks fourth in the MVC in offensive rebounds (39).
   Pickford ranks second on the team in scoring at 10.2 points per game.

KOCH GOES AT A HIGH LEVEL
Senior Bennett Koch leads the Panthers in scoring (13.2 ppg), field goal% (56.1%), free throw% (80.0%) and blocked shots (17).
   Koch ranks second on the squad in rebounding (6.6 rpg).
   Koch poured in 26 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and 10-of-12 at the foul line vs. No. 9-ranked Xavier (12/22).

Active 20-Plus Point Scoring Games
Bennett Koch (7)
Klint Carlson (3)
Hunter Rhodes (1)

MCCLOUD CONTINUES HIS
DEVELOPMENT
UNI sophomore point guard Juwan McCloud leads the squad in assists (40) and steals (20).
   McCloud ranks fifth on the team in scoring at 8.0 points per game.
   McCloud has reached double-figure scoring six times this season. Last year, McCloud had four double-figure scoring games as a true freshman.
   McCloud has drained 17 three-pointers this season after making nine three-pointers during the 2016-17 season.

SLOW STARTS IN MVC
For the third straight season, UNI has gotten off to a slow start in Missouri Valley Conference play.
   UNI began the 2015-16 season with a 2-6 mark MVC play and rallied to an 11-7 mark in league play and a fourth-place finish.
   UNI started the 2016-17 season by losing its first five MVC games and rallied to a 9-9 mark and a tie for third place in the MVC.
   The Panthers are 0-5 in MVC play this season. It is the fifth time that UNI has started 0-5 in the MVC since joining the league in 1991-92
   UNI, in the midst of a seven-game listing streak, has not had a losing streak of more than seven games since a 10-game losing skid during the 2000-2001 season.

UNI's 0-5 MVC Starts
0-5 - 1994-95 - finished 4-14 (T9th)
0-5 - 1998-99 - finished 6-12 (T8th)
0-7 - 2000-01 - finished 3-15 (10th)
0-5 - 2016-17 - finished 9-9 (T3rd)
0-5 - 2017-18 - finish TBD

RARE LOSING SKID IN MCLEOD
UNI has dropped three straight games in the McLeod Center for only the third time since the building opened in November 2006.
   The last time UNI lost three in a row in the McLeod Center came in the 2010-11 when the Panthers lost to Wichita State, George Mason and Indiana State.
   UNI's only other three-game losing streak in the McLeod Center came in the 2006-07 season when the Panthers fell to Wichita State, Drake and Missouri State.

STRONG NON-CONFERENCE WINS
UNI built a strong resume during its non-conference play with a mark of 8-4.
   The Panthers posted wins over SMU (61-58), North Carolina State (64-60), UNLV (77-68 OT) and UT Arlington (62-58).

NO. 9 IN SCORING DEFENSE
UNI ranks No. 9 in the nation in scoring defense. The Panthers are giving up 61.2 points per game.

Rk.   Team   W-L   Pts Allowed
1.   Virginia   15-1   53.0
2.   Cincinnati   14-2   58.6
3.   UCF   12-5   59.1
4.   Miami (Fla.)   13-2   59.8
5.   Texas Tech   14-2   60.2
6.   Liberty   12-5   60.5
7.   SMU   12-6   61.1
8.   Grand Canyon   11-5   61.1
9.   UNI   8-9   61.2
10.   Old Dominion   12-3   61.7

NO. 22 IN FG% DEFENSE
UNI is ranked No. 22 in the nation in field goal percentage defense (39.0).

9 HOME WINS IN 11 STRAIGHT YRS
UNI has won nine or more home games in the McLeod Center in 11 consecutive seasons.
   UNI will play 16 home games during the 2017-18 season - the most regular season home games since the 2007-08 season when the Panthers had 17 on the slate.

UNI's Home Record Since 2006-07
Year   Record
2006-07   9-4
2007-08   11-6
2008-09   11-4
2009-10   14-0
2010-11   13-5
2011-12   13-3
2012-13   16-4
2013-14   11-2
2014-15   15-0
2015-16   11-3
2016-17   9-4
2017-18   6-3

MCLEOD CENTER
UNI is playing its 12th season in the McLeod Center and the Panthers have made winning a priority in their home venue.
   UNI has posted an all-time mark of 139-38 (.785) in games played in the McLeod Center.
   UNI secured a school-record 16 home wins in the 2012-13 season.
   UNI has posted a trio of perfect home seasons since moving to NCAA Division I. UNI was a perfect 14-0 in both the 1983-84 and 2009-10 seasons and then UNI notched a 15-0 mark at home in 2014-15.
   UNI set its home-court win streak of 21 consecutive victories between the 2008-09 and 2010-11 seasons.
   The McLeod Center opened in November 2006.

RARE LOSING SKID IN MCLEOD
UNI has dropped three straight games in the McLeod Center for only the third time since the building opened in November 2006.
   The last time UNI lost three in a row in the McLeod Center came in the 2010-11 when the Panthers lost to Wichita State, George Mason and Indiana State.
   UNI's only other three-game losing streak in the McLeod Center came in the 2006-07 season when the Panthers fell to Wichita State, Drake and Missouri State.

EIGHT NCAA TRIPS FOR UNI
UNI made its eighth appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2016. The Panthers are 5-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.

UNI's All-Time NCAA Tourney Results
1990 - W, 74-71 vs. #3 Missouri
1990 - L, 84-81 vs. #6 Minnesota
2004 - L, 65-60 vs. #3 Georgia Tech
2005 - L, 57-52 vs. #6 Wisconsin
2006 - L, 54-49 vs. #7 Georgetown
2009 - L, 61-56 vs. #5 Purdue
2010 - W, 69-66 vs. #8 UNLV
2010 - W, 69-67 vs. #1 Kansas
2010 - L, 59-52 vs. #5 Michigan State
2015 - W, 71-54 vs. #12 Wyoming
2015 - L, 66-53 vs. #4 Louisville
2016 - W, 75-72 vs. #6 Texas
2016 - L, 92-88 (2OT) vs. #3 Texas A&M

7TH NCAA TOURNEY SINCE 2004
The Panthers have made seven NCAA appearances since the 2004 season. Only 27 other teams have made more than seven NCAA Tournament appearances since 2004.
   That is the most NCAA Tournament apperance since 2004 for any current member of the MVC. New MVC member Valparaiso has made three NCAA Tournaments in that same time frame (2004, 2013, 2015).

Current MVC NCAA Appearances Since 2004
UNI (7) - 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016
Southern Illinois (4) - 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Valparaiso (3) - 2004, 2013, 2015
Indiana State (1) - 2011
Drake (1) - 2008
Bradley (1) - 2006

TOP-FOUR FINISHES IN MVC
UNI extended its streak of top-four finishes in the Missouri Valley Conference to a ninth straight season with its third-place finish in 2016-17.

IN THE UPPER HALF
UNI recorded its 14th straight upper-half finish Missouri Valley Conference.
   It is the longest active streak in the league.
   Prior to the 2003-04 season, when the current streak began, UNI had finished in the top half of the MVC on two occasions (1993-94 - 5th, 1996-97 - 4th) since joining the league in 1991-92.

14 STRAIGHT YEARS OF 9 OR MORE MVC WINS
UNI also extended its streak of nine or more MVC victories in a season to 14 straight years. It is the longest active streak in the league.

UNI in the MVC Since 2003-04
2003-04 - 12-6 (T-2nd)
2004-05 - 11-7 (T-3rd)
2005-06 - 11-7 (T-5th)
2006-07 - 9-9 (5th)
2007-08 - 9-9 (T-5th)
2008-09 - 14-4 (T-1st)
2009-10 - 15-3 (1st)
2010-11 - 10-8 (T-4th)
2011-12 - 9-9 (T-3rd)
2012-13 - 11-7 (3rd)
2013-14 - 10-8 (3rd)
2014-15 - 16-2 (2nd)
2015-16 - 11-7 (T-4th)
2016-17 - 9-9 (T-3rd)

PANTHERS PICKED SECOND IN MVC PRESEASON POLL
UNI has been slotted to finish second in the preseason 2017-18 Missouri Valley Conference poll.
   UNI received eight first-place votes in the preseason poll. It is the most preseason first-place votes in a year that the Panthers were not picked as the preseason favorites.

MVC Preseason Poll
School (First-Place Votes) Total
1.   Missouri State (30)   381
2.   UNI (8)       337
3.   Loyola (1)       321
4.   Illinois State (1)       256
5.   Southern Illinois       226
6.   Valparaiso       214
7.   Bradley       182
8.   Indiana State       116
9.   Evansville       88
10.   Drake       79

KOCH, CARLSON EARN ALL-MVC PRESEASON HONORS
University of Northern Iowa seniors Bennett Koch and Klint Carlson have been named to the Preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference teams.
   Koch earned first-team all-MVC honors, while Carlson was selected to the second team.
   Koch is UNI's top returning scorer at 11.0 points per game. In his last 14 games last season, Koch averaged a team-best 14.3 points and 5.6 rebounds in 24.9 minutes per game.
   Carlson averaged more points per game for the third consecutive season (8.3 ppg). He ranked No. 4 in the league at 36.6 minutes per game.

COACH JAKE AMONG THE MVC'S ALL-TIME BEST
UNI head coach Ben Jacobson ranks No. 6 in MVC coaching victories with 242 triumphs heading into Saturday's game vs. Valparaiso.
   Jacobson ranks No. 7 in league history in MVC games only with 123 wins.
   Henry Iba tops both lists with 486 total wins and 187 league wins.

MVC Coaching Victories
1.    Henry P. Iba (Oklahoma State)   486
2.    Eddie Hickey (Creighton/St. Louis)   337
3.    Dana Altman (Creighton)   327
4.   Gregg Marshall (Wichita State)   261
5.   Barry Hinson (Missouri State/SIU)   258
6.   Ben Jacobson (UNI)   242
7.   Rich Herrin (Southern Illinois)   225
8.   Ralph Miller (Wichita State)   220
9.   Maury John (Drake)   211
10.   Joe Stowell (Bradley)   197

MVC Coaching Wins (Conf. Games Only)
1.    Henry P. Iba (Oklahoma State)    187
2.    Dana Altman (Creighton)    182
3.    Eddie Hickey (Creighton/St. Louis)    163
4.   Barry Hinson (Missouri State/SIU)    136
5.   Gregg Marshall (Wichita State)    134
6.    Dr. F.C. Allen (Kansas)    126
7.   Ben Jacobson (UNI)    123
8.    Rich Herrin (Southern Illinois)    111
9.    Jim Molinari (Bradley)    110
10.   Maurice John (Drake)    95

RADIO INFORMATION
This year's UNI men's basketball games can be heard on the UNI Sports Radio Network, with KXEL (1540 AM, Waterloo, Iowa) serving as flagship station. Affiliates include KBGG (1700 AM, Des Moines), KGYM (1600 AM, Cedar Rapids), KQCR (98.9 FM, Hampton), KILJ (105.5 FM, Mount Pleasant), KFXE (1160 AM, Decorah-Waukon) and KVFD (1400 AM, Fort Dodge).
   Long-time Panthers announcer Gary Rima handles play-by-play duties, while Kevin Boyle serves as analyst. Head coach Ben Jacobson's weekly radio call-in show will air on Thursdays, beginning in December at 6 p.m., live from The Other Place in Cedar Falls.

UNI INKS TOP-100 RECRUIT GREEN
University of Northern Iowa head men's basketball coach Ben Jacobson has announced the signing of consensus top-100 recruit A.J. Green to a National Letter-of-Intent to play for the Panthers beginning in the 2018-19 season.
   Green (6'4", 175 lbs., Guard – Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls HS) is ranked among the top-100 recruits by ESPN (No. 74), 247 (No. 77), Scout (No. 77) and Rivals (No. 88). He is a four-star recruit and a first-team all-state pick by the Iowa Newspaper Association in both 2016 and 2017.
   "A.J. has a tremendous work ethic and drive to be the absolute best. It has been a lot of fun watching him work and grow as player over the course of all these years," Jacobson said. "In A.J., we are getting a player who knows our program, comes in with lofty goals and has made himself one of the best players in the country. Most importantly we are getting a terrific young guy. This is an exciting day for our basketball family and for Panther Nation as A.J. officially becomes a Panther."
   Green has scored 1,120 points entering his senior season at Cedar Falls High School. Green averaged 21.5 points per game and grabbed 4.2 rebounds per game, while he shot 47.4 percent from the floor (43.4 – 3-point range) as a junior. He averaged 17.8 points per game and made 44 percent of his three-point shots as a sophomore. Green scored 186 points and averaged 8.0 points per game as a freshman.
   Green played AAU basketball for the Iowa Barnstormers. He is the son of Kyle and Michele Green.

WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE
UNI head coach Ben Jacobson or a member of his coaching staff will be available at the weekly press conference held each Monday at noon in the McLeod Center's Alumni Suite.

FOLLOW THE PANTHERS ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER & YOUTUBE
Fans of UNI Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube will have access to updates, score recaps and special announcements.
   UNI Athletics on Facebook will give fans the chance to connect with other Panther fans, as well as providing information on upcoming events. Followers on Twitter will be able to access news and scoring updates. Followers on YouTube will be able to access game highlights and press conference footage.

FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/UNIAthletics
www.facebook.com/UNIMensBasketball

TWITTER
www.twitter.com/UNIAthletics
www.twittercom/UNIMBB

YOUTUBE
www.youtube.com/UNIAthletics

INSTAGRAM
www.instagram.com/UNIAthletics

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Valpo, UNI Set for ESPN2 Clash Saturday

Players Mentioned

Isaiah Brown

Klint Carlson

Spencer Haldeman

Bennett Koch

Wyatt Lohaus

Juwan McCloud

Luke McDonnell

Austin Phyfe

Tywhon Pickford

Hunter Rhodes

Upcoming Events

University of Northern Iowa Athletics