UNI Looks to Even Season Series at SIU

Sunday, January 21

Carbondale, Illinois

3 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

Southern Illinois

UNI Looks to Even Season Series at SIU

1/18/2018 10:45:00 AM | Men's Basketball

UNI-mbb-notes-SIU-2018-2

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UNI (10-9, 2-5) at Southern Illinois (11-9, 3-4)
Sun., Jan. 21, 2018 • 3 p.m.
Carbondale, Illinois (SIU Arena)

WATCH | LISTEN | STATS

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television
ESPN3
Play-by-Play: Scott Warmann
Analyst: Rich Zvosec

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

Live Stats - http://www.sidearmstats.com/siu/mbball/

SERIES NOTES
All-Time Series: SIU leads, 33-30
Last Meeting: SIU 56, UNI 53 (Dec. 28, 2017)
SIU is looking for its first season sweep of UNI since the 2002-03 season. The Panthers defeated the Salukis last season in Carbondale, 58-57.

UNI MEN'S BASKETBALL STORYLINES AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
• The University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team (10-9 overall, 2-5 MVC) will look to even up the season series vs. Southern Illinois (11-9 overall, 3-4 MVC) in Carbondale, Illinois. Tip is set for Sunday at 3 p.m. at SIU Arena.

• UNI ranks No. 6 in the nation in scoring defense. The Panthers are giving up 61.6 points per game.

• UNI rallied from a 16-point first-half deficit against Drake on Tuesday to record its largest comeback win of the season. UNI's previous best comeback had been seven points against North Carolina State (Nov. 23) and UT Arlington (Dec. 7).

• UNI guard Tywhon Pickford's five double-doubles ranks third among freshman guards who have recorded double-doubles this season. Oklahoma's Trae Young (10) and Duquesne's Eric Williams Jr. (7) are the only freshman guards with more than five double-doubles in 2017-18.

• Pickford is the squad's leading scorer and rebounder through seven games in Missouri Valley Conference play. Pickford is averaging 15.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in league play.

• Pickford (6'4") is the nation's top rebounder (9.0 rpg) under 6'5". Pickford ranks No. 8 in the nation in rebounds among all freshmen.

UNI MEN'S BASKETBALL NOTES AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SALUKIS
The Salukis are coming off a 79-65 loss at Loyola on Wednesday.
   SIU has posted three MVC victories this season with triumphs over UNI (56-53), Evansville (65-63) and Illinois State (74-70).
   SIU is 8-2 at home with its only losses coming against Drake (L, 70-67) and Southeast Missouri State (L, 75-69).
   SIU is led in scoring by Armon Fletcher (14.4 ppg), Sean Lloyd (12.7 ppg) and Kavion Pippen (11.7 ppg). Fletcher has upped his scoring to 16.6 points per game in MVC play.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. SIU
Southern Illinois leads the all-time series vs. UNI, 33-30.
   The Salukis captured a 56-53 win over the Panthers in Cedar Falls on Dec. 28 to open up Missouri Valley Conference play.
   UNI has captured seven wins in Carbondale through the years, with head coach Ben Jacobson holding five of those victories.

IT'S BEEN AWHILE
SIU is looking for its first season sweep of UNI since the 2002-03 season.
   Since SIU's last sweep of UNI, the Panthers have posted five season sweeps of the Salukis in 2008-09, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2014-15 and 2016-17.

PREVIOUS MEETING AT UNI
In the MVC opener for both teams on Dec. 28, SIU posted a 56-53 win at UNI.
   SIU got 14 points from Kavion Pippen and 12 points off the bench from Marcus Bartley to spark a second-half comeback win for the visitors. SIU trailed by six points early in the second half at 33-27.
   The Salukis made 7-of-10 three-pointers in the second half, including a triple that bounced high off the iron and straight down through the net from Armon Fletcher with 54.5 seconds left that gave the visitors a 55-48 lead in the McLeod Center.
   SIU had lost 14 straight games in Cedar Falls and all 11 of its previous visits to the McLeod Center prior to the victory on Dec. 28.

FROSH GUARD DOUBLE-DOUBLES
UNI freshman guard Tywhon Pickford ranks third among freshman guards who have recorded double-doubles this season.
   Oklahoma's Trae Young (10) and Duquesne's Eric Williams Jr. (7) are the only freshman guards with more than five double-doubles this season.

PICKFORD DOUBLES UP
UNI freshman guard Tywhon Pickford has reached double figures in rebounds nine times this season.
   Pickford has registered a team-best five 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.), Loyola (15 pts., 11 rbs.) and Drake (16 pts., 10 rbs.).

UNI's Active Double-Double List
Tywhon Pickford (5)
Bennett Koch (4)
Klint Carlson (1)
Luke McDonnell (1)

UNI's Single-Season 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
Tywhon Pickford (5) - 2017-18

UNI's Overall Double-Double Leaders
(Since 2000)
Eric Coleman (36)
Grant Stout (33)
Seth Tuttle (21)
Joe Breakenridge (17)
Jordan Eglseder (15)
David Gruber (13)
Matt Schneiderman (8)
Jeremy Morgan (5)
Adam Koch (5)
Tywhon Pickford (5)
Erik Crawford (4)
Jake Koch (4)
Bennett Koch (4)

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 9.0 rebounds per game.
   UMass Lowell's Jahad Thomas (6'2") is the nation's next best rebounder under 6'5". Thomas is averaging 8.0 rebounds per contest.

FRESHMEN REBOUNDERS
UNI's Tywhon Pickford ranks No. 8 in the nation in rebounds among freshmen at 9.0 per game.

Freshman Rebounders
1.   Marvin Bagley III (Duke)   11.7
2.    Deandre Ayton (Arizona)   11.3
3.   Mohamed Bamba (Texas)   10.4
4.   Brandon McCoy (UNLV)   9.9
5.   Eric Williams Jr. (Duquesne)   9.7
6.   Oshae Brissett (Syracuse)   9.4
7.   Wendell Carter Jr. (Duke)   9.1
8.   Tywhon Pickford (UNI)   9.0
9.   Terry Taylor (Austin Peay)   8.6
10.   Romello White (Arizona State   7.9

MVC Frosh Double-Doubles (since '97)
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)
5 -- Tywhon Pickford, UNI (2017-18)

TYWHON TAKES CHARGE IN MVC
UNI freshmen guard Tywhon Pickford is the squad's leading scorer through seven games in Missouri Valley Conference play.
   Pickford is averaging 15.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in league play.
   He has been UNI's leading scorer in four of the seven league games. Pickford has been in double-figure scoring in six of the seven MVC games this season.
   Pickford has been the Panthers's top rebounder in each of their last six MVC contests.

Pickford in MVC Play
13 pts., 5 rbs. vs. Southern Illinois
8 pts., 8 rbs. at Bradley
18 pts., 10 rbs. at Missouri State
15 pts., 11 rbs. vs. Loyola
18 pts., 7 rbs. at Indiana State
23 pts., 9 rbs. vs. Valparaiso
16 pts., 10 rbs. vs. Drake

PHYFE FEASTING IN MVC PLAY
UNI freshmen forward Austin Phyfe is shooting 73.3 percent from the field (11-of-15 FGs) during Missouri Valley Conference play.
   Phyfe has started the last two games for the Panthers and has scored 22 points and shot 7-of-8 from the field.
   Phyfe was 6-of-7 from the field and was a perfect 8-of-8 at the free throw line vs. Valpo (Jan. 13) as he scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
   Phyfe entered the Valpo game on Jan. 13 having scored 27 total points in the season - including only 11 points in MVC play.

KOCH'S EFFICIENCY VS DRAKE
Senior Bennett Koch has been a model of efficiency against Drake the last two seasons in the McLeod Center.
   Koch scored a team-high 19 points while shooting 7-of-11 from the field vs. the Bulldogs on Tuesday in the McLeod Center.
   Last season in the McLeod Center, Koch went 8-of-8 from the field and scored 21 points in a 79-60 Panther win.
   Over the last two seasons at home vs. Drake, Koch has shot 15-of-19 from the field and averaged 20.0 points per game.

DEANS OF THE MVC
Sunday's matchup between UNI and Southern Illinois will feature the two active most-winningest Missouri Valley Coaches in Barry Hinson (259 wins) and Ben Jacobson (244).
   Hinson ranks No. 5, while Jacobson ranks No. 6 in MVC coaching victories.
   Hinson ranks No. 4 with 137 MVC wins only. Jacobson ranks No. 7 in league history in MVC games only with 125 wins.
   With his next league victory, Jacobson will tie Kansas's Dr. F.C. (Phog) Allen for No. 6 in MVC games won.
   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)   259
6.   Ben Jacobson (UNI)   244
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)    137
5.   Gregg Marshall (Wichita State)    134
6.    Dr. F.C. Allen (Kansas)    126
7.   Ben Jacobson (UNI)    125
8.    Rich Herrin (Southern Illinois)    111
9.    Jim Molinari (Bradley)    110
10.   Maurice John (Drake)    95

UNI RALLIES FROM 16 DOWN
UNI rallied from a 16-point deficit in the first half against Drake to score a 68-54 victory over the Bulldogs on Jan. 16.
   It marks the largest comeback win of the season for the Panthers, whose previous best comeback had been seven points against North Carolina State (Nov. 23) and UT Arlington (Dec. 7).

Largest Comeback Wins in 2017-18
N.C. State - trailed by 7 (9:38 2nd), won by 4
UT Arlington - trailed by 7 (9:11 2nd), won by 4
Drake - trailed by 16 (6:48 1st), won by 14

TRAILED AT THE HALF
UNI posted its first win of the season when trailing at the half against Drake. The Bulldogs held a 29-26 lead over the Panthers.
   UNI outscored Drake in the second half, 42-25, en route to a 68-54 victory in the McLeod Center.
   UNI is 1-3 this season when trailing at the break. The Panthers posted five wins in 2016-17 when trailing at the intermission.

FOUR UNDERCLASSMEN IN STARTING FIVE
UNI has gone young in its starting lineup over the past two games by starting four underclassmen.
   UNI's starting five consists of senior Klint Carlson, sophomores Isaiah Brown and Juwan McCloud to go along with true freshmen Tywhon Pickford and Austin Phyfe. The current starting five have combined to start 136 career games.

UNI's Starters (Played, Started)
Juwan McCloud (49, 47)
Isaiah Brown (45, 21)
Tywhon Pickford (19, 19)
Klint Carlson (101, 47)
Austin Phyfe (16, 2)

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 8.5 points per game, while Haldeman is averaging 7.2 points per game.

NO. 6 IN SCORING DEFENSE
UNI ranks No. 6 in the nation in scoring defense. The Panthers are giving up 61.6 points per game.

Rk.   Team   W-L   Points
1.   Virginia   16-1   52.9
2.   Cincinnati   16-2   57.2
3.   UCF   12-6   58.5
4.   Liberty   12-7   60.3
5.   Texas Tech   15-3   61.2
6.   UNI   10-9   61.6
7.   UNC Greensboro   12-5   61.8
8.   Miami (Fla.)   13-4   61.9
9.   SMU   13-6   61.9
10.   Purdue   18-2   62.1

NO. 11 IN FOULS PER GAME
UNI is ranked No. 11 in the nation in fewest fouls per game (15.1).

NO. 22 IN FG% DEFENSE
UNI is ranked No. 22 in the nation in field goal percentage defense (39.4).

COUNTLESS 3-POINT BOMBERS
Through 19 games, UNI has six players who have made at least 16 3-pointers this season.
   Spencer Haldeman (31), Tywhon Pickford (27), Isaiah Brown (22), Klint Carlson (20), Juwan McCloud (17) and Wyatt Lohaus (16) have all made at least 16 shots from 3-point land this season.
   UNI is averaging 7.6 made 3-pointers per game.

UNI'S 3-POINT STREAK
UNI has made at least one 3-pointer in 580 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.

MCCLOUD CONTINUES HIS
DEVELOPMENT
UNI sophomore point guard Juwan McCloud leads the squad in assists (45) and steals (22).
   McCloud ranks fifth on the team in scoring at 7.4 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 2-5 in MVC play this season. This year marks the fifth time that UNI has started 0-5 in the MVC since joining the league in 1991-92.

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

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.

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 set the Cedar Falls High School scoring mark Jan. 16, 2018, with 1,435 points. 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.