Wednesday, December 28
Cedar Falls, Iowa
8 p.m.
University of Northern Iowa
vs
Missouri State (Kids Club Day - $5 youths/$10 adults)
UNI Men's Hoops to Open MVC Play Dec. 28 vs. Bears
12/24/2016 8:48:00 AM | Men's Basketball
COMPLETE RELEASE (PDF)
Missouri State (9-4) at UNI (5-6) | AUDIOÂ | STATSÂ | ESPN3 (outside five-state MVC map)
Wed., Dec. 28, 2016 • 8 p.m. (CT)
Cedar Falls, Iowa • McLeod Center
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television
MVC TV
Play-by-Play: Scott Warmann
Analyst: Kevin Lehman
Clearances:Â FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports Indiana Plus and FOX Sports Kansas City, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, ESPN3 (outside the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska
Radio
Panther Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Gary Rima
Analyst: Kevin Boyle
Flagship Station - NewsTalk 1540 KXEL
On the Web - www.UNIPanthers.com
TuneIn App
Stats
UNI.Statbroadcast.com
SERIES NOTES
All-Times Series: Missouri State leads 41-30
• Last Meeting: UNI 83, Missouri State 69 (Feb. 10, 2016)
• The Panthers have won seven of the last eight games between the two schools dating back to the 2012-13 season.
UNI MEN'S BASKETBALL STORYLINES
• UNI (5-6 overall) will open up its Missouri Valley Conference play Wednesday at home in the McLeod Center against the Missouri State Bears (9-4 overall).
• UNI is offering a ticket special for the Missouri State game. In the south bleachers, general admission tickets will be $10 for adults and $5 for youth (16 and under) for the Dec. 28 game. Call 319-273-4849 or order online at www.unipanthers.com/tickets.
• Senior Jeremy Morgan, the preseason MVC player of the year, leads the Panthers in scoring (16.6), rebounding (7.5), assists (3.2), blocks (1.5), steals (2.5), 3-pointers made (30) and free throws made (41).
• Morgan needs 29 more points to reach the 1,000 point mark in his career. He will become the 41st UNI Panther to score 1,000 or more points.
• Redshirt freshman Spencer Haldeman ranks second on the squad in scoring (9.5) and in 3-pointers made (26). Haldeman has made at least one 3-pointer in seven straight games.
• In UNI's five victories this season, the Panthers have shot 40.0 percent or better. In UNI's six losses, the Panthers have not shot better than 37.9 percent.
UNI OPENS UP MVC PLAY AT HOME VS MISSOURI STATE
UNI (5-6 overall) will open up its Missouri Valley Conference play Wednesday at home in the McLeod Center against the Missouri State Bears (9-4 overall).
   UNI is offering a ticket special for the Missouri State game. In the south bleachers, general admission tickets will be $10 for adults and $5 for youth (16 and under) for the Dec. 28 game. Call 319-273-4849 or order online at www.unipanthers.com/tickets.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Wednesday's game will be broadcast live on MVC TV.
   Scott Warmann (play-by-play) and Kevin Lehman (analyst) will call the game.
   The telecast will be cleared live on FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports Indiana Plus and FOX Sports Kansas City (combined 5.8 million homes), Comcast SportsNet Chicago, ESPN3 (outside the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska), DirecTV (FOX Sports Midwest – Channel 671; Comcast SportsNet Chicago – Channel 665), Dish Network (FOX Sports Midwest – Channel 418; Comcast SportsNet Chicago – Channel 429) and AT&T U-verse (FOX Sports Midwest -- Channels 748 and 1748; Comcast SportsNet Chicago – Channels 741 and 1741).  The game will also be shown on KSMO-TV (974,000 homes) in Kansas City, Missouri.
MISSOURI STATE BEARS
Missouri State was pegged to finish fourth in the MVC Preseason Poll. The Bears. Last year's conference Newcomer of the Year Dequon Miller was named to the Preseason All-MVC second team
   The Bears are led in scoring by Alize Johnson (13.2 ppg), Ronnie Rousseau III (12.8 ppg) and Miller (10.5 ppg).
   Head coach Paul Lusk is in his sixth season at the helm of the Bear basketball program. In his five seasons, he has coached eight MVC Scholar-Athlete Team selections, four All-MVC players, four All-Freshman Team picks, three members of the MVC All-Newcomer Team and two members of the Most-Improved Team.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Missouri State holds a 41-30 lead in the all-time series vs. UNI. The Panthers have won seven of the last eight games between the two schools dating back to the 2012-13 season.
   UNI head coach Ben Jacobson is 15-5 against the Missouri State since taking over the program in 2006-07. Jacobson has posted a mark of 8-2 against the Bears in the McLeod Center.Â
MVC OPENERS UNDER JAKE
UNI has posted a 5-5 mark, including a 3-2 record at home, in Missouri Valley Conference openers under 11th-year head coach Ben Jacobson.
UNI's MVC Openers for Coach Jacobson
2006-07 W, 76-65 vs. Bradley
2007-08 W, 59-46 at Bradley
2008-09 L, 85-84 (2ot) vs. Indiana State
2009-10 W, 60-52 at Creighton
2010-11 L, 58-57 vs. Missouri State
2011-12 L, 65-61 at Illinois State
2012-13 L, 66-41 at Wichita State
2013-14 W, 80-46 vs. Bradley
2014-15 L, 52-49 at Evansville
2015-16 W, 80-44 vs. Bradley
LAST SEASON VS THE BEARS
UNI and Missouri State split the season series last year with the home squad winning each game.
   MSU trailed by 10 points at 50-40 with 9:17 left in the game in Springfield, Mo. Following a rally, MSU's Dequon Miller drove the length of the floor and made a layup with 6.1 left to give the Bears the 59-58 victory at JQH Arena.
   UNI bounced back in the McLeod Center and scored an 83-69 win over the Bears. UNI had four players reach double-figure scoring led by Jeremy Morgan's 21 points. Matt Bohannon and Bennett Koch each tallied 19 points. Wes Washpun chipped in with 11 points and a game-high nine assists.Â
FOR STARTERS
UNI has used six different starting lineups this season in its 11 games.
   Only senior Jeremy Morgan and freshman Juwan McCloud have started all 11 games.Â
   UNI has had nine different players draw starts this season.
UNI's 2016-17 Starting Lineups
Carlson-McCloud-Morgan-Koch-Lohaus (4)
Carlson-McCloud-Morgan-Koch-Ashton (2)
Carlson-Friedman-McCloud-Morgan-Ashton (1)
Friedman-McCloud-Morgan-Brown-Haldeman (2)
Carlson-Friedman-McCloud-Morgan-Haldeman (1)
Carlson-McCloud-Morgan-Koch-Haldeman (1)
COMPARING 20-POINT MARGINS
UNI head coach Ben Jacobson suffered his worst defeat as the Panthers mentor at No. 8-ranked North Carolina, 85-42.Â
   It marked only the eighth time that a Jacobson-coached squad had lost a game by 20 or more points.
   In contrast, Jacobson has guided UNI to 36 victories by 20 or more points since he took over the program in the 2006-07 season.
AMONG THE ELITE
UNI is one of 13 teams to have won at least one game in the NCAA Tournament and accumulate 54 combined wins over the previous two seasons.
   The elite list of squads include UNI, Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Oregon, Villanova, Wichita State, Wisconsin and Virginia.
WINNING TRADITION INÂ MCLEOD CENTER
UNI will be playing its 11th 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 127-32 (.799) in games played in the McLeod Center.Â
   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.
11 HOME WINS IN 9 STRAIGHT YRS
UNI has won 11 or more home games in the McLeod Center in nine consecutive seasons.
UNI's Home Record Since 2007-08
Year   Record
2007-08Â Â Â 11-6
2008-09Â Â Â 11-4
2009-10Â Â Â 14-0
2010-11Â Â Â 13-5
2011-12Â Â Â 13-3
2012-13Â Â Â 16-4
2013-14Â Â Â 11-2
2014-15Â Â Â 15-0
2015-16Â Â Â 11-3
2016-17Â Â Â 3-1Â
PROTECTING THE HOME COURT
UNI has won 11 or more home games in the McLeod Center in nine consecutive seasons.
BOOK IT IN THE UPPER HALF
UNI's streak of 13 straight upper-half finishes in the MVC is the league's longest active streak.Â
NINE OR MORE MVC WINS
The Panthers have won nine or more MVC games in each of the past 13 seasons – also the MVC's longest active streak.Â
TOP-FOUR FINISHES IN MVC
UNI has finished in the top four of the MVC standings in eight consecutive seasons.Â
IN THE UPPER HALF
UNI has finished in the upper half of the Missouri Valley Conference's final standings in 13 straight seasons. 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.Â
13 STRAIGHT YEARS OF 9 OR MORE MVC WINS
UNI has won nine or more MVC games in 13 consecutive seasons - the longest active streak in the league.Â
   Wichita State has the second longest active streak at seven.Â
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)
EIGHT NCAA TRIPS FOR UNI
UNI made its eighth appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season. The Panthers are 5-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.Â
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 TRIP SINCE '04
The Panthers made their seventh NCAA appearance since the 2004 season. The seven appearances since 2004 is the most of any member of the MVC in that time frame.
   Wichita State has appeared in six NCAA Tournaments since 2004, to rank second in the MVC behind the Panthers.
MVC'S NCAA Appearances Since 2004
UNI (7) - 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016
Wichita St. (6) - 2006, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Southern Illinois (4) - 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Creighton (4) - 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013
Indiana State (1) - 2011
Drake (1) - 2008
Bradley (1) - 2006
20-WIN SEASONS
UNI has had 12 20-win seasons in program history – 10 of those 20-win seasons have come since 2003-04.Â
MORGAN LEADS UNI
Senior Jeremy Morgan, the preseason MVC player of the year, leads the Panthers in scoring (16.6), rebounding (7.5), assists (3.2), blocks (1.5), steals (2.5), 3-pointers made (30) and free throws made (41).
MORGAN CLOSING IN ON 1,000 CAREER POINTS
Jeremy Morgan is 29 points shy of joining the 1,000 career point-club at UNI. Morgan has posted 971 points heading into Wednesday's game vs. Missouri State.
   Morgan would become the 41st UNI Panther to score 1,000 or more points.
MORGAN MOVING UPÂ THE DEFENSIVE CHARTS
Senior guard Jeremy Morgan, who earned a spot on last year's MVC All-Defensive squad, is making his way up the UNI defensive charts in regard to blocked shots and steals.
   Morgan ranks No. 4 at UNI in steals (152) and No. 9 in blocked shots (82).
BLOCKED SHOTS - UNI (CAREER)
1.   Grant Stout (2004-0)   222
2.   Jake Koch (2009-13)   123
3.   Jordan Eglseder (2006-10)   120
4.   Sean Hawkins (1995-98)   118
5.   Eric Coleman (2004-08)   115
6.   Seth Tuttle (2011-15)   95
7.   Jason Sims (1993-96)   90
8.   Scott Stafford (1984-85)   85
9.   Jeremy Morgan (2013-pres.)   82
10.   Steve Phyfe (1988-90)   66
STEALS - UNI (CAREER)
1.   Brent Carmichael (1981-83)   180
2.   Nick Nurse (1986-89)   165
3.   Andy Woodley (1998-02)   159
4.   Jeremy Morgan (2013-pres.)   155
5.   Ben Jacobson (2002-06)   154
6.   Johnny Moran (2008-12)   152
7.   Dale Turner (1988-92)   143
8.   Robbie Williams (1982-86)   140
9.   Brian Carpenter (1992-96)   138
10.   Darian DeVries (1994-98)   131
HALDEMAN PROVIDES OFFENSE
Redshirt freshman Spencer Haldeman ranks second on the squad in scoring (9.5) and in 3-pointers made (26).
TEDDY HITS THE BOARDSÂ
Junior center Ted Friedman leads the Panthers with 16 offensive rebounds.
HOT/COLD PANTHERS
In UNI's five victories this season, the Panthers have shot 40.0 percent or better.Â
   In UNI's six losses, the Panthers have not shot better than 37.9 percent.
3-POINT TALK
UNI has made at least one 3-pointer in 542 straight games – the longest active streak in the MVC.
   Jeremy Morgan has made at least one 3-pointer in 17 consecutive contests.
UNI VS. RANKED TEAMS
UNI has faced three top-25 foes this season.
   Since the 1979-80 season, UNI is 17-38 vs. ranked foes.
   UNI has registered 17 wins over ranked Division I opponents and 14 of those wins have come since Ben Jacobson joined the UNI coaching staff in the 2001-02 season.Â
   UNI has three neutral-court wins over ranked foes, with two of those coming in 1990 and 2010 NCAA tournaments.
   UNI is 2-0 all-time against No. 1-ranked opponents. UNI secured a 71-67 win over North Carolina in the McLeod Center on Nov. 21, 2015. The Panthers also recorded a 69-67 win over No. 1 Kansas in the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
   UNI has posted a mark of 3-2 in its last five matchups against top-five ranked foes.
UNI vs. Ranked Opponents (since 1979-80)
#8   North Carolina   L, 85-42 (A) - 12/21/16
#9    Xavier   L, 64-42 (A) - 11/26/16
#11   Xavier   L, 67-59 (N) - 11/20/16
#15Â Â Â Texas A&MÂ Â Â L, 92-88 2ot (N) - 3/20/16
#25   Wichita State   W, 53-50 (A) - 2/13/16
#5   Iowa State   W, 81-79 (N) - 12/19/15
#1   North Carolina   W, 71-67 (H) - 11/21/15
#17   Louisville   L, 66-53 (N) - 3/22/15
#11   Wichita State   L, 74-60 (A) - 2/28/15
#12   Wichita State   W, 70-54 (H) - 1/31/15
#4   Wichita State   L, 82-73 (H) - 2/8/14
#8   Wichita State   L, 67-53 (A) - 1/5/14
#17   Iowa State   L, 91-82 OT (N) - 12/7/13
#15   Wichita State   W, 57-52 (H) - 2/2/13
#12   Creighton   L, 79-68 (A) - 1/15/13
#21Â Â Â UNLVÂ Â Â L, 73-59 (A) - 12/19/12
#19   Memphis   L, 52-47 (N) - 11/24/12
#2   Louisville   L, 51-46 (N) - 11/22/12
#13   Creighton   W, 65-62 (H) - 2/4/12
#23   Creighton   L, 63-60 (A) - 1/10/12
#10   Syracuse   L, 68-46 (A) - 11/12/10
#13   Michigan State   L, 59-52 (N) - 3/26/10
#1   Kansas   W, 69-67 (N) - 3/20/10
#15   Marquette   L, 73-43 (N) - 11/28/08
#14   Drake   L, 65-55 (H) - 2/16/08
#22   Drake   L, 58-54 (A) - 1/26/08
#11   Nevada   L, 79-64 (A) - 2/17/07
#16   Wichita State   W, 63-59 (A) - 12/30/06
#17   Washington   L, 70-61 (A) - 11/14/06
#23   Georgetown   L, 54-49 (N) - 3/17/06
#24   Bucknell   W, 65-61 (H) - 2/18/06
#12   Iowa   W, 67-63 (H) - 12/6/05
#20   Wisconsin   L, 57-52 (N) - 3/18/05
#17   Iowa   L, 76-73 (A) - 12/7/05
#14   Georgia Tech   L, 65-60 (N) - 3/19/04
#15   Southern Illinois   W, 68-52 (H) - 3/1/04
#20   Creighton   W, 82-73 (H) - 1/14/04
#24    Iowa   W, 77-66 (H) - 12/9/03
#13   Creighton   L, 84-75 (H) - 2/4/03
#11   Iowa   W, 78-76 (H) - 12/4/01
#17   Alabama   L, 64-56 (N) - 12/20/00
#10   Iowa   W, 84-78 (H) - 12/9/97
#12   Iowa   L, 78-73 (H) - 12/5/95
#11   Iowa State   L, 81-62 (H) - 1/25/95
#8   Iowa   L, 64-44 (A) - 12/8/92
#16   Iowa   L, 108-85 (H) - 12/19/91
#20   Minnesota   L, 81-78 (N) - 3/18/90
#11   Missouri   W, 74-71 (N) - 3/16/90
#20   Iowa   W, 77-74 (H) - 1/3/90
#3   Georgetown   L, 83-49 (N) - 12/29/89
#5   Iowa   L, 95-76 (A) - 12/6/88
#14   Missouri   L, 91-62 (A) - 1/12/83
#6   Iowa   L, 84-53 (A) - 12/21/81
#14   Iowa   L, 86-52 (A) - 12/30/80
#20   Iowa   L, 78-46 (A) - 12/6/79
NOTE: Associated Press poll used
UNI's Record vs. Ranked Opponents
Overall   Home   Away   Neutral
17-38Â Â Â 12-6Â Â Â 2-18Â Â Â 3-14
COACH JAKE RANKS T-6TH IN ALL-TIME MVC VICTORIES
UNI head coach Ben Jacobson has tallied 225 career wins to rank T-No. 6 in MVC history.
   With his next victory, Jacobson would surpass Rich Herrin (Southern Illinois), who tallied 225 career coaching victories.
MVC Coaching Victories
1. Â Â Â Henry Iba (Oklahoma State)Â Â Â 486
2. Â Â Â Eddie Hickey (Creighton/St. Louis)Â Â Â 337
3. Â Â Â Dana Altman (Creighton)Â Â Â 327
4.   Gregg Marshall (Wichita State)   239
5.   Barry Hinson (Missouri State/SIU)   238
6.   Rich Herrin (Southern Illinois)   225
   Ben Jacobson (UNI)   225
8.   Ralph Miller (Wichita State)   221
9.   Maury John (Drake)   211
10.   Joe Stowell (Bradley)   197Â
MORGAN TOOK OVER VS. UND
Senior guard Jeremy Morgan simply took over the second half in a 78-70 win over North Dakota (12/10).
   The Panthers trailed the Fighting Hawks at the break, 33-29, and Morgan was scoreless after going 0-of-5 from the field. From that point on, it became the Jeremy Morgan Show.
   Morgan made 10-of-12 field goals and 16-of-22 free throws in the final 20 minutes as he poured in a career-high 38 points.
   Morgan set the UNI scoring record in the McLeod Center taking over Jake Koch's mark of 34 points against Bradley on Jan. 9, 2011. He also broke Koch's UNI McLeod Center record of 15 made free throws from that same night vs. the Braves.
   Morgan set the McLeod Center record for free throw attempts (22) breaking the mark of 21 set by Evansville's D.J. Balentine on Jan. 29, 2014.
Active 20-Plus Point Scoring Games
Jeremy Morgan (7)Â
Klint Carlson (1)
Bennett Koch (1)
Hunter Rhodes (1)
THIRD DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Morgan recorded his third double-double of the season with 38 points and 11 rebounds vs. North Dakota.
   It is the the fourth double-double of his collegiate career. Morgan's only previous double-double before this season came in the 2016 NCAA Tournament vs. Texas A&M with 36 points and 12 rebounds.Â
UNI's Active Double-Double List
Jeremy Morgan (4)
Jordan Ashton (1)
Bennett Koch (1)
PANTHERS TABBED THIRD IN MVC PRESEASON POLL
UNI has been slotted to finish third in the preseason 2016-17 Missouri Valley Conference poll.
MVC Preseason Poll
School (First-Place Votes) Total
1.   Wichita State (37)      413
2.   Illinois State (4)      356
3.   UNI (1)      348
4.   Missouri State      278
5.   Southern Illinois      228
6.   Indiana State      219
7.   Loyola      179
8.   Bradley      110
9.   Evansville      106
10.   Drake      73
  Â
UNI MBB IN APR TOP-10 PERCENTÂ
The UNI men's basketball, men's golf, women's golf, women's cross country and women's volleyball teams have been recognized by the NCAA for their latest multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores. These teams posted multi-year APR scores in the top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sports.
   The UNI men's basketball team has been recognized with a perfect APR score (1,000) in each of the last four seasons - the only MVC school to do that in each of the past three years.
   The APR provides a real-time look at a team's academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete on scholarship. The APR accounts for eligibility, retention and graduation and provides a measure of each team's academic performance.
UNI SIGNS PHYFE TO NLI
UNI head men's basketball coach Ben Jacobson announced the signing of Austin Phyfe (Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock HS) to a National Letter-of-Intent to play for the Panthers beginning in 2017-18.
   Phyfe (6'9", 235 lbs., Forward) is the No. 2 recruit in the state of Iowa, according to IowaPreps.com. He earned second-team all-state honors from the Iowa Newspaper Association as a junior for head coach Nate Stegge. Phyfe notched third-team all-state accolades as a sophomore. Phyfe is a three-time all-Northeast Iowa Conference pick, including a pair of first-team honors the past two seasons. Phyfe averaged 14.5 points, grabbed 8.4 rebounds and shot 64 percent from the field in leading Waverly-Shell Rock to an 18-6 record in 2015-16. Phyfe scored 13.7 points and grabbed 7.9 rebounds as a sophomore in helping the GoHawks to a 22-3 record and a berth into the state tournament. As a freshman, he helped the GoHawks the state tournament and into the semifinals. Phyfe played AAU for the Iowa Barnstormers.
    He is the son of Steve and Lisa Phyfe. His father, Steve, played basketball for the Panthers from 1987-1990. His sister, Aftin, is a member of the UNI swimming and diving team.
UNI TO PLAY IN 2017 BATTLE 4 ATLANTIS
Celebrating its seventh year of elite collegiate tournament play, the 2017 Battle 4 Atlantis will include Villanova, Arizona, Purdue, North Carolina State, Tennessee, Southern Methodist, Western Kentucky and UNI.
   The 2017 early season tournament field boasts a combined 16 Final Four appearances and five National Championships between the field. The annual Battle 4 Atlantis once again falls during the Thanksgiving holiday, scheduled to take place November 22-24, 2017. The 12-game, three-day tournament is regarded as one of the most challenging early-season tournaments.
   It will mark UNI's second appearance in the Battle 4 Atlantis. UNI also took part in the tournament in the 2012 Battle 4 Atlantis as the Panthers played Louisville, Stanford and Memphis.
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).Â
   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 6:30 p.m., live from The Other Place in Cedar Falls.
FOLLOW THE PANTHERS ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER & YOUTUBE
Fans of UNI Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram will have access to updates, score recaps and special announcements.
  Â
FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/UNIAthleticsÂ
www.facebook.com/UNIMensBasketball
TWITTER
www.twitter.com/UNIAthletics
www.twittercom/UNIMBB
YOUTUBE
www.youtube.com/UNIAthletics
INSTAGRAM
www.instagram.com/UNIAthletics
Â
Missouri State (9-4) at UNI (5-6) | AUDIOÂ | STATSÂ | ESPN3 (outside five-state MVC map)
Wed., Dec. 28, 2016 • 8 p.m. (CT)
Cedar Falls, Iowa • McLeod Center
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television
MVC TV
Play-by-Play: Scott Warmann
Analyst: Kevin Lehman
Clearances:Â FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports Indiana Plus and FOX Sports Kansas City, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, ESPN3 (outside the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska
Radio
Panther Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Gary Rima
Analyst: Kevin Boyle
Flagship Station - NewsTalk 1540 KXEL
On the Web - www.UNIPanthers.com
TuneIn App
Stats
UNI.Statbroadcast.com
SERIES NOTES
All-Times Series: Missouri State leads 41-30
• Last Meeting: UNI 83, Missouri State 69 (Feb. 10, 2016)
• The Panthers have won seven of the last eight games between the two schools dating back to the 2012-13 season.
UNI MEN'S BASKETBALL STORYLINES
• UNI (5-6 overall) will open up its Missouri Valley Conference play Wednesday at home in the McLeod Center against the Missouri State Bears (9-4 overall).
• UNI is offering a ticket special for the Missouri State game. In the south bleachers, general admission tickets will be $10 for adults and $5 for youth (16 and under) for the Dec. 28 game. Call 319-273-4849 or order online at www.unipanthers.com/tickets.
• Senior Jeremy Morgan, the preseason MVC player of the year, leads the Panthers in scoring (16.6), rebounding (7.5), assists (3.2), blocks (1.5), steals (2.5), 3-pointers made (30) and free throws made (41).
• Morgan needs 29 more points to reach the 1,000 point mark in his career. He will become the 41st UNI Panther to score 1,000 or more points.
• Redshirt freshman Spencer Haldeman ranks second on the squad in scoring (9.5) and in 3-pointers made (26). Haldeman has made at least one 3-pointer in seven straight games.
• In UNI's five victories this season, the Panthers have shot 40.0 percent or better. In UNI's six losses, the Panthers have not shot better than 37.9 percent.
UNI OPENS UP MVC PLAY AT HOME VS MISSOURI STATE
UNI (5-6 overall) will open up its Missouri Valley Conference play Wednesday at home in the McLeod Center against the Missouri State Bears (9-4 overall).
   UNI is offering a ticket special for the Missouri State game. In the south bleachers, general admission tickets will be $10 for adults and $5 for youth (16 and under) for the Dec. 28 game. Call 319-273-4849 or order online at www.unipanthers.com/tickets.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Wednesday's game will be broadcast live on MVC TV.
   Scott Warmann (play-by-play) and Kevin Lehman (analyst) will call the game.
   The telecast will be cleared live on FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports Indiana Plus and FOX Sports Kansas City (combined 5.8 million homes), Comcast SportsNet Chicago, ESPN3 (outside the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska), DirecTV (FOX Sports Midwest – Channel 671; Comcast SportsNet Chicago – Channel 665), Dish Network (FOX Sports Midwest – Channel 418; Comcast SportsNet Chicago – Channel 429) and AT&T U-verse (FOX Sports Midwest -- Channels 748 and 1748; Comcast SportsNet Chicago – Channels 741 and 1741).  The game will also be shown on KSMO-TV (974,000 homes) in Kansas City, Missouri.
MISSOURI STATE BEARS
Missouri State was pegged to finish fourth in the MVC Preseason Poll. The Bears. Last year's conference Newcomer of the Year Dequon Miller was named to the Preseason All-MVC second team
   The Bears are led in scoring by Alize Johnson (13.2 ppg), Ronnie Rousseau III (12.8 ppg) and Miller (10.5 ppg).
   Head coach Paul Lusk is in his sixth season at the helm of the Bear basketball program. In his five seasons, he has coached eight MVC Scholar-Athlete Team selections, four All-MVC players, four All-Freshman Team picks, three members of the MVC All-Newcomer Team and two members of the Most-Improved Team.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Missouri State holds a 41-30 lead in the all-time series vs. UNI. The Panthers have won seven of the last eight games between the two schools dating back to the 2012-13 season.
   UNI head coach Ben Jacobson is 15-5 against the Missouri State since taking over the program in 2006-07. Jacobson has posted a mark of 8-2 against the Bears in the McLeod Center.Â
MVC OPENERS UNDER JAKE
UNI has posted a 5-5 mark, including a 3-2 record at home, in Missouri Valley Conference openers under 11th-year head coach Ben Jacobson.
UNI's MVC Openers for Coach Jacobson
2006-07 W, 76-65 vs. Bradley
2007-08 W, 59-46 at Bradley
2008-09 L, 85-84 (2ot) vs. Indiana State
2009-10 W, 60-52 at Creighton
2010-11 L, 58-57 vs. Missouri State
2011-12 L, 65-61 at Illinois State
2012-13 L, 66-41 at Wichita State
2013-14 W, 80-46 vs. Bradley
2014-15 L, 52-49 at Evansville
2015-16 W, 80-44 vs. Bradley
LAST SEASON VS THE BEARS
UNI and Missouri State split the season series last year with the home squad winning each game.
   MSU trailed by 10 points at 50-40 with 9:17 left in the game in Springfield, Mo. Following a rally, MSU's Dequon Miller drove the length of the floor and made a layup with 6.1 left to give the Bears the 59-58 victory at JQH Arena.
   UNI bounced back in the McLeod Center and scored an 83-69 win over the Bears. UNI had four players reach double-figure scoring led by Jeremy Morgan's 21 points. Matt Bohannon and Bennett Koch each tallied 19 points. Wes Washpun chipped in with 11 points and a game-high nine assists.Â
FOR STARTERS
UNI has used six different starting lineups this season in its 11 games.
   Only senior Jeremy Morgan and freshman Juwan McCloud have started all 11 games.Â
   UNI has had nine different players draw starts this season.
UNI's 2016-17 Starting Lineups
Carlson-McCloud-Morgan-Koch-Lohaus (4)
Carlson-McCloud-Morgan-Koch-Ashton (2)
Carlson-Friedman-McCloud-Morgan-Ashton (1)
Friedman-McCloud-Morgan-Brown-Haldeman (2)
Carlson-Friedman-McCloud-Morgan-Haldeman (1)
Carlson-McCloud-Morgan-Koch-Haldeman (1)
COMPARING 20-POINT MARGINS
UNI head coach Ben Jacobson suffered his worst defeat as the Panthers mentor at No. 8-ranked North Carolina, 85-42.Â
   It marked only the eighth time that a Jacobson-coached squad had lost a game by 20 or more points.
   In contrast, Jacobson has guided UNI to 36 victories by 20 or more points since he took over the program in the 2006-07 season.
AMONG THE ELITE
UNI is one of 13 teams to have won at least one game in the NCAA Tournament and accumulate 54 combined wins over the previous two seasons.
   The elite list of squads include UNI, Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Oregon, Villanova, Wichita State, Wisconsin and Virginia.
WINNING TRADITION INÂ MCLEOD CENTER
UNI will be playing its 11th 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 127-32 (.799) in games played in the McLeod Center.Â
   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.
11 HOME WINS IN 9 STRAIGHT YRS
UNI has won 11 or more home games in the McLeod Center in nine consecutive seasons.
UNI's Home Record Since 2007-08
Year   Record
2007-08Â Â Â 11-6
2008-09Â Â Â 11-4
2009-10Â Â Â 14-0
2010-11Â Â Â 13-5
2011-12Â Â Â 13-3
2012-13Â Â Â 16-4
2013-14Â Â Â 11-2
2014-15Â Â Â 15-0
2015-16Â Â Â 11-3
2016-17Â Â Â 3-1Â
PROTECTING THE HOME COURT
UNI has won 11 or more home games in the McLeod Center in nine consecutive seasons.
BOOK IT IN THE UPPER HALF
UNI's streak of 13 straight upper-half finishes in the MVC is the league's longest active streak.Â
NINE OR MORE MVC WINS
The Panthers have won nine or more MVC games in each of the past 13 seasons – also the MVC's longest active streak.Â
TOP-FOUR FINISHES IN MVC
UNI has finished in the top four of the MVC standings in eight consecutive seasons.Â
IN THE UPPER HALF
UNI has finished in the upper half of the Missouri Valley Conference's final standings in 13 straight seasons. 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.Â
13 STRAIGHT YEARS OF 9 OR MORE MVC WINS
UNI has won nine or more MVC games in 13 consecutive seasons - the longest active streak in the league.Â
   Wichita State has the second longest active streak at seven.Â
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)
EIGHT NCAA TRIPS FOR UNI
UNI made its eighth appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season. The Panthers are 5-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.Â
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 TRIP SINCE '04
The Panthers made their seventh NCAA appearance since the 2004 season. The seven appearances since 2004 is the most of any member of the MVC in that time frame.
   Wichita State has appeared in six NCAA Tournaments since 2004, to rank second in the MVC behind the Panthers.
MVC'S NCAA Appearances Since 2004
UNI (7) - 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016
Wichita St. (6) - 2006, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Southern Illinois (4) - 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Creighton (4) - 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013
Indiana State (1) - 2011
Drake (1) - 2008
Bradley (1) - 2006
20-WIN SEASONS
UNI has had 12 20-win seasons in program history – 10 of those 20-win seasons have come since 2003-04.Â
MORGAN LEADS UNI
Senior Jeremy Morgan, the preseason MVC player of the year, leads the Panthers in scoring (16.6), rebounding (7.5), assists (3.2), blocks (1.5), steals (2.5), 3-pointers made (30) and free throws made (41).
MORGAN CLOSING IN ON 1,000 CAREER POINTS
Jeremy Morgan is 29 points shy of joining the 1,000 career point-club at UNI. Morgan has posted 971 points heading into Wednesday's game vs. Missouri State.
   Morgan would become the 41st UNI Panther to score 1,000 or more points.
MORGAN MOVING UPÂ THE DEFENSIVE CHARTS
Senior guard Jeremy Morgan, who earned a spot on last year's MVC All-Defensive squad, is making his way up the UNI defensive charts in regard to blocked shots and steals.
   Morgan ranks No. 4 at UNI in steals (152) and No. 9 in blocked shots (82).
BLOCKED SHOTS - UNI (CAREER)
1.   Grant Stout (2004-0)   222
2.   Jake Koch (2009-13)   123
3.   Jordan Eglseder (2006-10)   120
4.   Sean Hawkins (1995-98)   118
5.   Eric Coleman (2004-08)   115
6.   Seth Tuttle (2011-15)   95
7.   Jason Sims (1993-96)   90
8.   Scott Stafford (1984-85)   85
9.   Jeremy Morgan (2013-pres.)   82
10.   Steve Phyfe (1988-90)   66
STEALS - UNI (CAREER)
1.   Brent Carmichael (1981-83)   180
2.   Nick Nurse (1986-89)   165
3.   Andy Woodley (1998-02)   159
4.   Jeremy Morgan (2013-pres.)   155
5.   Ben Jacobson (2002-06)   154
6.   Johnny Moran (2008-12)   152
7.   Dale Turner (1988-92)   143
8.   Robbie Williams (1982-86)   140
9.   Brian Carpenter (1992-96)   138
10.   Darian DeVries (1994-98)   131
HALDEMAN PROVIDES OFFENSE
Redshirt freshman Spencer Haldeman ranks second on the squad in scoring (9.5) and in 3-pointers made (26).
TEDDY HITS THE BOARDSÂ
Junior center Ted Friedman leads the Panthers with 16 offensive rebounds.
HOT/COLD PANTHERS
In UNI's five victories this season, the Panthers have shot 40.0 percent or better.Â
   In UNI's six losses, the Panthers have not shot better than 37.9 percent.
3-POINT TALK
UNI has made at least one 3-pointer in 542 straight games – the longest active streak in the MVC.
   Jeremy Morgan has made at least one 3-pointer in 17 consecutive contests.
UNI VS. RANKED TEAMS
UNI has faced three top-25 foes this season.
   Since the 1979-80 season, UNI is 17-38 vs. ranked foes.
   UNI has registered 17 wins over ranked Division I opponents and 14 of those wins have come since Ben Jacobson joined the UNI coaching staff in the 2001-02 season.Â
   UNI has three neutral-court wins over ranked foes, with two of those coming in 1990 and 2010 NCAA tournaments.
   UNI is 2-0 all-time against No. 1-ranked opponents. UNI secured a 71-67 win over North Carolina in the McLeod Center on Nov. 21, 2015. The Panthers also recorded a 69-67 win over No. 1 Kansas in the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
   UNI has posted a mark of 3-2 in its last five matchups against top-five ranked foes.
UNI vs. Ranked Opponents (since 1979-80)
#8   North Carolina   L, 85-42 (A) - 12/21/16
#9    Xavier   L, 64-42 (A) - 11/26/16
#11   Xavier   L, 67-59 (N) - 11/20/16
#15Â Â Â Texas A&MÂ Â Â L, 92-88 2ot (N) - 3/20/16
#25   Wichita State   W, 53-50 (A) - 2/13/16
#5   Iowa State   W, 81-79 (N) - 12/19/15
#1   North Carolina   W, 71-67 (H) - 11/21/15
#17   Louisville   L, 66-53 (N) - 3/22/15
#11   Wichita State   L, 74-60 (A) - 2/28/15
#12   Wichita State   W, 70-54 (H) - 1/31/15
#4   Wichita State   L, 82-73 (H) - 2/8/14
#8   Wichita State   L, 67-53 (A) - 1/5/14
#17   Iowa State   L, 91-82 OT (N) - 12/7/13
#15   Wichita State   W, 57-52 (H) - 2/2/13
#12   Creighton   L, 79-68 (A) - 1/15/13
#21Â Â Â UNLVÂ Â Â L, 73-59 (A) - 12/19/12
#19   Memphis   L, 52-47 (N) - 11/24/12
#2   Louisville   L, 51-46 (N) - 11/22/12
#13   Creighton   W, 65-62 (H) - 2/4/12
#23   Creighton   L, 63-60 (A) - 1/10/12
#10   Syracuse   L, 68-46 (A) - 11/12/10
#13   Michigan State   L, 59-52 (N) - 3/26/10
#1   Kansas   W, 69-67 (N) - 3/20/10
#15   Marquette   L, 73-43 (N) - 11/28/08
#14   Drake   L, 65-55 (H) - 2/16/08
#22   Drake   L, 58-54 (A) - 1/26/08
#11   Nevada   L, 79-64 (A) - 2/17/07
#16   Wichita State   W, 63-59 (A) - 12/30/06
#17   Washington   L, 70-61 (A) - 11/14/06
#23   Georgetown   L, 54-49 (N) - 3/17/06
#24   Bucknell   W, 65-61 (H) - 2/18/06
#12   Iowa   W, 67-63 (H) - 12/6/05
#20   Wisconsin   L, 57-52 (N) - 3/18/05
#17   Iowa   L, 76-73 (A) - 12/7/05
#14   Georgia Tech   L, 65-60 (N) - 3/19/04
#15   Southern Illinois   W, 68-52 (H) - 3/1/04
#20   Creighton   W, 82-73 (H) - 1/14/04
#24    Iowa   W, 77-66 (H) - 12/9/03
#13   Creighton   L, 84-75 (H) - 2/4/03
#11   Iowa   W, 78-76 (H) - 12/4/01
#17   Alabama   L, 64-56 (N) - 12/20/00
#10   Iowa   W, 84-78 (H) - 12/9/97
#12   Iowa   L, 78-73 (H) - 12/5/95
#11   Iowa State   L, 81-62 (H) - 1/25/95
#8   Iowa   L, 64-44 (A) - 12/8/92
#16   Iowa   L, 108-85 (H) - 12/19/91
#20   Minnesota   L, 81-78 (N) - 3/18/90
#11   Missouri   W, 74-71 (N) - 3/16/90
#20   Iowa   W, 77-74 (H) - 1/3/90
#3   Georgetown   L, 83-49 (N) - 12/29/89
#5   Iowa   L, 95-76 (A) - 12/6/88
#14   Missouri   L, 91-62 (A) - 1/12/83
#6   Iowa   L, 84-53 (A) - 12/21/81
#14   Iowa   L, 86-52 (A) - 12/30/80
#20   Iowa   L, 78-46 (A) - 12/6/79
NOTE: Associated Press poll used
UNI's Record vs. Ranked Opponents
Overall   Home   Away   Neutral
17-38Â Â Â 12-6Â Â Â 2-18Â Â Â 3-14
COACH JAKE RANKS T-6TH IN ALL-TIME MVC VICTORIES
UNI head coach Ben Jacobson has tallied 225 career wins to rank T-No. 6 in MVC history.
   With his next victory, Jacobson would surpass Rich Herrin (Southern Illinois), who tallied 225 career coaching victories.
MVC Coaching Victories
1. Â Â Â Henry Iba (Oklahoma State)Â Â Â 486
2. Â Â Â Eddie Hickey (Creighton/St. Louis)Â Â Â 337
3. Â Â Â Dana Altman (Creighton)Â Â Â 327
4.   Gregg Marshall (Wichita State)   239
5.   Barry Hinson (Missouri State/SIU)   238
6.   Rich Herrin (Southern Illinois)   225
   Ben Jacobson (UNI)   225
8.   Ralph Miller (Wichita State)   221
9.   Maury John (Drake)   211
10.   Joe Stowell (Bradley)   197Â
MORGAN TOOK OVER VS. UND
Senior guard Jeremy Morgan simply took over the second half in a 78-70 win over North Dakota (12/10).
   The Panthers trailed the Fighting Hawks at the break, 33-29, and Morgan was scoreless after going 0-of-5 from the field. From that point on, it became the Jeremy Morgan Show.
   Morgan made 10-of-12 field goals and 16-of-22 free throws in the final 20 minutes as he poured in a career-high 38 points.
   Morgan set the UNI scoring record in the McLeod Center taking over Jake Koch's mark of 34 points against Bradley on Jan. 9, 2011. He also broke Koch's UNI McLeod Center record of 15 made free throws from that same night vs. the Braves.
   Morgan set the McLeod Center record for free throw attempts (22) breaking the mark of 21 set by Evansville's D.J. Balentine on Jan. 29, 2014.
Active 20-Plus Point Scoring Games
Jeremy Morgan (7)Â
Klint Carlson (1)
Bennett Koch (1)
Hunter Rhodes (1)
THIRD DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Morgan recorded his third double-double of the season with 38 points and 11 rebounds vs. North Dakota.
   It is the the fourth double-double of his collegiate career. Morgan's only previous double-double before this season came in the 2016 NCAA Tournament vs. Texas A&M with 36 points and 12 rebounds.Â
UNI's Active Double-Double List
Jeremy Morgan (4)
Jordan Ashton (1)
Bennett Koch (1)
PANTHERS TABBED THIRD IN MVC PRESEASON POLL
UNI has been slotted to finish third in the preseason 2016-17 Missouri Valley Conference poll.
MVC Preseason Poll
School (First-Place Votes) Total
1.   Wichita State (37)      413
2.   Illinois State (4)      356
3.   UNI (1)      348
4.   Missouri State      278
5.   Southern Illinois      228
6.   Indiana State      219
7.   Loyola      179
8.   Bradley      110
9.   Evansville      106
10.   Drake      73
  Â
UNI MBB IN APR TOP-10 PERCENTÂ
The UNI men's basketball, men's golf, women's golf, women's cross country and women's volleyball teams have been recognized by the NCAA for their latest multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores. These teams posted multi-year APR scores in the top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sports.
   The UNI men's basketball team has been recognized with a perfect APR score (1,000) in each of the last four seasons - the only MVC school to do that in each of the past three years.
   The APR provides a real-time look at a team's academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete on scholarship. The APR accounts for eligibility, retention and graduation and provides a measure of each team's academic performance.
UNI SIGNS PHYFE TO NLI
UNI head men's basketball coach Ben Jacobson announced the signing of Austin Phyfe (Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock HS) to a National Letter-of-Intent to play for the Panthers beginning in 2017-18.
   Phyfe (6'9", 235 lbs., Forward) is the No. 2 recruit in the state of Iowa, according to IowaPreps.com. He earned second-team all-state honors from the Iowa Newspaper Association as a junior for head coach Nate Stegge. Phyfe notched third-team all-state accolades as a sophomore. Phyfe is a three-time all-Northeast Iowa Conference pick, including a pair of first-team honors the past two seasons. Phyfe averaged 14.5 points, grabbed 8.4 rebounds and shot 64 percent from the field in leading Waverly-Shell Rock to an 18-6 record in 2015-16. Phyfe scored 13.7 points and grabbed 7.9 rebounds as a sophomore in helping the GoHawks to a 22-3 record and a berth into the state tournament. As a freshman, he helped the GoHawks the state tournament and into the semifinals. Phyfe played AAU for the Iowa Barnstormers.
    He is the son of Steve and Lisa Phyfe. His father, Steve, played basketball for the Panthers from 1987-1990. His sister, Aftin, is a member of the UNI swimming and diving team.
UNI TO PLAY IN 2017 BATTLE 4 ATLANTIS
Celebrating its seventh year of elite collegiate tournament play, the 2017 Battle 4 Atlantis will include Villanova, Arizona, Purdue, North Carolina State, Tennessee, Southern Methodist, Western Kentucky and UNI.
   The 2017 early season tournament field boasts a combined 16 Final Four appearances and five National Championships between the field. The annual Battle 4 Atlantis once again falls during the Thanksgiving holiday, scheduled to take place November 22-24, 2017. The 12-game, three-day tournament is regarded as one of the most challenging early-season tournaments.
   It will mark UNI's second appearance in the Battle 4 Atlantis. UNI also took part in the tournament in the 2012 Battle 4 Atlantis as the Panthers played Louisville, Stanford and Memphis.
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).Â
   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 6:30 p.m., live from The Other Place in Cedar Falls.
FOLLOW THE PANTHERS ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER & YOUTUBE
Fans of UNI Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram will have access to updates, score recaps and special announcements.
  Â
www.facebook.com/UNIAthleticsÂ
www.facebook.com/UNIMensBasketball
www.twitter.com/UNIAthletics
www.twittercom/UNIMBB
YOUTUBE
www.youtube.com/UNIAthletics
www.instagram.com/UNIAthletics
Â
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's BasketballUNI Panther Football: The Best Pod of your Day (Episode 4)
Wednesday, September 17
UNI Football Highlights vs. Eastern Washington (Sept. 13, 2025)
Tuesday, September 16
UNI volleyball tops Iowa State at home
Friday, September 12
UNI Panther Football: The Best Pod of your Day (Episode 3)
Wednesday, September 10