UNI facing challenge of being sidetracked by attention

CEDAR FALLS — The longer the winning streak goes for the Northern Iowa men's basketball team, the longer grows the list of expectations and louder grows the chatter on social media and elsewhere.

That'll happen when a team reaches its highest national rankings in program history — 12th in the Associated Press Top 25 and 13th in the USA Today Coaches poll — and is beating teams by nearly 12 points per game in its 11-game winning streak.

Within that streak and the national attention that's followed, it would be easy for a team to get caught up in it and take away from the task at hand. There's embracing the stage and there's getting caught staring into the lights. Coach Ben Jacobson said the talk about goals and aspirations hasn't changed with his team's success because there hasn't been any talk about either since before the season started.

'The bigger picture goals, the long-term goals, those kind of go away once we start playing games — so all the way back to November,' Jacobson said at Monday's weekly media luncheon. 'For us, once we start playing games, we don't talk about them anymore. Then it shifts to how much we can get done each day. That's a real challenge, and I know it gets talked about and thrown out there. That's a real challenge no matter what part of the season you're in.'

Enough has happened to the Panthers (22-2, 11-1 Missouri Valley Conference) this season — vast majority being good, a few moments not so good — that that last comment has grown even more valid as the season as worn on.

Peaks and valleys can be hard to deal with, no matter which end of the spectrum you're on. And if you've never been to an extreme, the uncharted territory can lead a team down the wrong path. Jacobson believes his team will stay on the right one because he's been through it before and trusts in the group he has to follow his lead.

'We had some good stuff happen in the non-conference that it would've been easy to get a little sidetracked,' Jacobson said. 'It happens, right? That's the way the season goes. Talked about a lot, but hard to do. That's one of the things I'm most proud of with these guys.

'I've been through both, and regardless of what it is, you have a challenge to be focused on what you're doing each day. That, to me, is without question the key.'

It's the way he likes it and the way he lives it.

Jacobson doesn't have to wax poetic each day before practice about getting caught up in chatter or players believing their own hype. He's said before he wants his guys to enjoy this ride because of how rare it is that success of this magnitude comes along, but not to let that become the focus.

The message remains — even if it people have heard it before and from other coaches — to win the day.

'They've got a pretty good idea of who I am, what I'm going to talk about and what's important to me. I think it's much more about that for myself and our staff,' Jacobson said. 'Living it every day and focusing on doing the things we have to do to get ready and not spending any time talking about anything else — that's a pretty clear message.'

ILLINOIS STATE REMATCH

Last time around, it took a Nate Buss 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left to lift Northern Iowa past Illinois State on the road in Normal, Ill.

In that game, the Panthers were forced into a number of mistakes that got them down by double digits before the second-half comeback and switch to the 3-2 zone that threw off the Redbirds so badly. Ben Jacobson said after going over the film again this week, it's given him and his staff things to specifically address with the team to avoid a repeat.

'I think there's quite a few things in that game, from our standpoint, that we can take away from,' Jacobson said. 'After getting through it, our ball-handling — our toughness with the ball — is going to have to get much better. So we (need to) hold on to the ball, get ourselves quality possessions, some better shots, and then just find a way to rebound. We've been better the last couple games, but we're going to have to block out and we're going to have to rebound.'

Illinois State only out-rebounded UNI by one, 34-33, but had 16 offensive rebounds and 13 second-chance points. They forced 16 Panther turnovers, which is the most in conference play and tied for the most all season (North Dakota and VCU).

Jacobson said in the re-watch of the first game, the mistakes 'sure jump out at you more. They really do.' Before and after that game, he said, his players had and have done 'a good job of taking care of the ball.'

The Redbirds' varied lineup has a way of forcing teams into bad spots, he said, and it'll be a challenge to overcome that and extend the winning streak to 12.

'Illinois State has the ability to do that do you because of their lineup and the number of guys they can throw at you, and how quick their guards are; their size and length up front,' Jacobson said. 'This will be the healthiest Illinois State has been. We didn't see (Deontae) Hawkins the first time; he's played well for them, gives them another guy who can shoot the basketball with some size. But they have the ability to do those things to you; they can turn you over and they can really rebound. That's the challenge here.'

Tipoff between Illinois State and UNI is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the McLeod Center.

BACK IN BLACK?

The 'blackout' promotion run by the UNI Athletics Department was a huge hit with fans and players alike after Saturday's game against Drake. The department is currently in the process of auctioning off the black jerseys worn by the players, with bids being submitted via email.

But that might not be the last time fans see the popular alternate uniforms this season. Jacobson said it's possible they'll make another appearance before the season is finished.

At the very least, he said, it's almost a certainty there will be another alternate uniform next year.

'Our thoughts would be to certainly do that again next year — it's been a real positive,' Jacobson said. 'The (players) wouldn't let me start talking after the game, they were clamoring about wearing those again. We've got a good group of guys, I've got no problem listening to these guys. So we'll see, we may wear them again.'

l Comments: (319) 368-8884; jeremiah.davis@thegazette.com