UNI, Loyola Set For Sunday Clash In McLeod

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Loyola (11-4, 1-2 MVC) at UNI (8-7, 0-3 MVC)
Sun., Jan. 7, 2018 • 3 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
ESPNU
Play-by-Play: Jordan Bernfield
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-Times Series: UNI leads 10-5
Last Meeting: UNI 72, Loyola 69 2OT (Jan. 18, 2017)
UNI is 6-1 in home games vs. Loyola. The Panthers and Ramblers split the season series last year with the home team winning each contest.

UNI MEN'S BASKETBALL STORYLINES VS. LOYOLA
• The University of Northern Iowa men's basketball team (8-7 overall, 0-3 MVC) will look to snap its five-game losing skid Sunday at home against the Loyola Ramblers (11-4 overall, 1-2 MVC). Tip is set for 3 p.m. in the McLeod Center.

• UNI has played the sixth-toughest schedule in nation. UNI's opponents have combined for a record of 117-60 (.661).

• UNI ranks No. 9 in the nation in scoring defense. The Panthers are giving up 61.1 points per game.

• UNI is ranked No. 17 in the nation in field goal percentage defense (38.4).

• Freshman Tywhon Pickford (6'4") is the nation's top rebounder (8.9 rpg) under 6'5". Pickford ranks No. 7 in the nation among all freshmen.

• Pickford has reached double figures in rebounds seven times this season. Pickford has registered a team-best three double-doubles.

• UNI has made at least one 3-pointer in 576 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.

UNI MEN'S BASKETBALL NOTES VS. LOYOLA

LOYOLA RAMBLERS
Loyola began the season with seven straight wins and was 10-1 on Dec. 9. Since then the Ramblers have lost three of four, including a 1-2 start to Missouri Valley Conference play.
   The Ramblers are 2-3 in true road games this season with victories at UMKC (66-56) and at No. 5-ranked Florida (65-59).
   Loyola is under the direction of seventh-year head coach Porter Moser. Moser is 6-12 all-time against UNI in his coaching career.
   The Ramblers are led in scoring by Aundre Jackson (13.1 ppg).

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. LOYOLA
UNI holds a 10-5 lead in the all-time series vs. Loyola. UNI is 6-1 in games played in Cedar Falls.
   The squads split a pair of games last season with the home team winning each contest. UNI secured a 72-69 double-overtime win over Loyola in the McLeod Center on Jan. 18, 2017.

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.
   Buffalo's C.J. Massinburg (6'3") is the nation's next best rebounder under 6'5". Massinburg is averaging 7.9 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.    Deandre Ayton (Arizona)   12.1
2.   Marvin Bagley III (Duke)   11.6
3.   Mohamed Bamba (Texas)   10.7
4.   Brandon McCoy (UNLV)   10.3
5.   Eric Williams Jr. (Duquesne)   9.9
6.   Oshae Brissett (Syracuse)   9.7
7.   Tywhon Pickford (UNI)   8.9
8.   Wendell Carter Jr. (Duke)   8.9
9.   Romello White (Arizona St.)   8.8
10.   Omari Spellman (Villanova)   8.1

PICKFORD DOUBLES UP
UNI freshman guard Tywhon Pickford has reached double figures in rebounds seven times this season.
   Pickford has registered a team-best three double-doubles. Pickford has recorded double-doubles against Alcorn State (16 pts., 10 rbs.), North Carolina State (18 pts., 18 rbs.) and Missouri State (18 pts., 10 rbs.).

UNI's Active Double-Double List
Bennett Koch (4)
Tywhon Pickford (3)
Klint Carlson (1)
Luke McDonnell (1)

PICKFORD TO THE GLASS
Pickford ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference in rebounding (8.9 rpg). He ranks sixth in the MVC in offensive rebounds (34).
   Pickford ranks third on the team in scoring at 9.3 points per game.

KOCH GOES AT A HIGH LEVEL
Senior Bennett Koch leads the Panthers in scoring (13.7 ppg), field goal% (57.9%), free throw% (80.2%) and blocked shots (12) through their first 15 games.
   Koch ranks second on the squad in rebounding (6.7 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 SOARS
UNI sophomore point guard Juwan McCloud leads the squad in assists (34) and steals (18).
   McCloud ranks fourth on the team in scoring at 8.6 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.

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 is scoring 8.6 points per game, while Haldeman is averaging 7.9 points per game.
   Lohaus ranks second and Haldeman ranks third among MVC players in scoring without making a start this season.
   Missouri State's Reggie Scurry is averaging 9.6 points per game and has not started a game this year.

HALDEMAN ZONES IN
UNI sophomore guard Spencer Haldeman is draining nearly 50 percent of his three-point shots this season.
   Haldeman has drained a 27-of-56 (.482) from three-point range.

COUNTLESS 3-POINT BOMBERS
Through 15 games, UNI has five players who have made at least 16 3-pointers this season.
   Spencer Haldeman (27), Isaiah Brown (20), Juwan McCloud (17), Klint Carlson (16) and Tywhon Pickford (16) have all made at least 16 shots from 3-point land this season.
   UNI is averaging 7.9 made 3-pointers per game.

UNI'S 3-POINT STREAK
UNI has made at least one 3-pointer in 576 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.

RESUME BUILDING
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).

NINTH-TOUGHEST SCHEDULE
UNI has played the ninth-toughest schedule in nation. UNI's opponents have combined for a record of 101-53 (.656).

Rk.   Team   W-L (Pct.)
1.   Savannah State   121-47 (.720)
2.   Temple   132-54 (.710)
3.   Dayton    124-51 (.709)
4.   Tennessee   113-49 (.698)
5.   Duke   123-56 (.687)
6.   UNI   117-60 (.661)
7.   Texas Southern   129-69 (.652)
8.   North Carolina   127-68 (.651)
9.   Butler   133-72 (.649)
10.   St. John's   122-66 (.649)

UNI IN NCAA RPI NON-CONF STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
UNI's non-conference schedule was ranked No. 11 in the nation in the NCAA RPI listing.

NCAA Non-Conf. Strength of Schedule
1.   Texas Southern
2.   Savannah State
3.   Temple
4.   Dayton
5.   Duke
6.   Tennessee
7.   Buffalo
8.    Rhode Island
9.   Alabama
10.   New Orleans
11.   UNI
12.   Illinois State

NO. 9 IN SCORING DEFENSE
UNI ranks No. 9 in the nation in scoring defense. The Panthers are giving up 61.1 points per game.

Rk.   Team   Pts Allowed/Game
1.   Virginia   52.7
2.   Cincinnati   58.7
3.   Miami (Fla.)   58.9
4.   Texas Tech   59.3
5.   SMU   59.8
6.   UCF   60.2
7.   Liberty   60.7
8.   Rutgers   60.9
9.   UNI   61.1
10.   Michigan   61.1

NO. 17 IN FG% DEFENSE
UNI is ranked No. 17 in the nation in field goal percentage defense (38.4).

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   6-2

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 139-37 (.790) 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.

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

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UNI, Loyola Set For Sunday Clash In McLeod

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Players Mentioned

Isaiah Brown

Klint Carlson

Spencer Haldeman

Bennett Koch

Wyatt Lohaus

Juwan McCloud

Luke McDonnell

Tywhon Pickford

Hunter Rhodes

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