Men's Basketball Open Season with Old Dominion

Tuesday, November 5

Cedar Falls, IA

7 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

Old Dominion University

Men's Basketball Open Season with Old Dominion

11/1/2019 10:49:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes Watch: Old Dominion Audio: Old Dominion Live Stats: Old Dominion

MEN'S BASKETBALL:

UNI vs Old Dominion | Tuesday, November 5 | 7 p.m. | McLeod Center |

THE SERIES
The Panthers open the season with a mid-week matchup with the Monarchs of Old Dominion. The two teams will take the floor for the sixth time in program history, the Panthers currently hold a 3-2 series lead. Last season the Panthers and Monarchs split two contest with the Panthers taking the Nov 19 contest 54-53 in the final game of the Paradise Jam. Just four days later to two would hit the floor again, this time in Norfolk, Virginia where the Monarchs came away with a 72-65 victory.

THE MONARCHS
Old Dominion is coming off a 26-9 season while going 13-5 in Conference USA action. The Monarchs return just two starters from last year's squad in guard Xavier Green and Aaron Carver. Green started all 35 games for the Monarchs last season, averaging 9.6 points per game while shooting over 40 percent from beyond the three point arch. Carver also started all 35 games a season ago and led the team in offensive rebounds with 82.
Old Dominion was selected to finished fourth in the C-USA Preseason Poll. Xavier Green was selected to the Conference Preseason Team.

THE PANTHERS
• The Panthers are 6-1 when opening the season in the McLeod Center under Head Coach Ben Jacobson.

• The Panthers finished the 2018-19 season ranked 1st in the MVC in three point attempts and finished with the fewest turnovers in league play.

• The Panthers were consistent at the free throw line all season long, making 74.7 percent, the second highest mark in the Valley.

• The Panthers return four MVC award winners from last year's team.
                • AJ Green: All-Freshman, All Newcomer, Third Team All-MVC, Freshman of the Year.

                • Spencer Haldeman: MVC Sixth Man of the Year.

                • Isaiah Brown: All Defensive Team

                •Luke McDonnell: Most Improved Team

• The Panthers were selected to finished 3rd in the MVC Preseason Poll.

• Sophomore, AJ Green, was named Preseason First Team All-MVC. The lone Panther to make the preseason list.

• Ben Jacobson enters the season ranks fifth all-time in the MVC coaching victories with 266.

• Jacobson also ranks fifth in the league record book for MVC-only wins with 139 triumphs.

THE STREAK
UNI has made at least one 3-Pointer in 628 straight games – the longest active streak in the Missouri Valley Conference. 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.

2019 MVC PRESEASON POLL
#             Team (1st-place votes) Points
1.            Missouri State                   410
2.            Bradley 368
3.            UNI 343
4.            Loyola 340
5.            Drake 243
6.            Indiana State 210
7.            Illinois State                      193
8.            Evansville 132
9.            Valparaiso 98
10.          Southern Illinois 83

PRESEASON 1st TEAM ALL-MVC
Barrell Brown, Bradley
Tulio Da Silva, Missouri State
AJ Green, UNI
Tyreke Key, Indiana State
Cameron Krutwig, Loyola