Wichita State more than enough to distract UNI from distractions

CEDAR FALLS — 'Distractions' has almost become a clichéd term in sports — if it isn't already.

Shutting out talk from outside the locker room is a method used by every team in every sport to circle the wagons and stay connected and focused for the common goal of winning games. Naturally, it's harder to keep away from social media and any other discussion when a team isn't winning.

As it would anywhere, with the Northern Iowa men's basketball team, the idea of keeping things in-house is passed to players as soon as they walk in the door. But when teams are as young and as inexperienced dealing with harsh criticism as many of the Panthers are, the difficulty increases.

With Wichita State coming into McLeod Center on Wednesday, focus on preparation instead of getting caught up on what someone might say or write is as important — and difficult — as it gets in the Missouri Valley Conference.

'It gets harder for the players when you have a game like you did Saturday and your record is what it is. It certainly is harder in this situation,' Jacobson said. 'That's where the message from our coaching staff is important. That's where leadership really comes in. The guys in the locker room are going to know a lot more about it than I am. That's where Bo (Matt Bohannon) and Paul (Jesperson) and Wes (Washpun) have to continue to do a great job.

'Because there isn't any question it's hardest right now to have the distractions stay outside of what we're doing to get ready. I'm confident in our older guys. They've been around long enough to understand that no matter how it's going the stuff we do in practice has got to be the most important thing.'

The players are smart enough to know they can't stop people from talking or tweeting. They're also smart enough to know they don't need to.

Players like Bohannon, Jesperson and Washpun have said the locker room remains tight-knit, and as long as that's true, whatever negative things are said outside their circle is irrelevant to them. No, it's no easy.

But as college kids with a lot on their plate, getting ready for a big game is hard enough. They're not denying things are going badly — both Jacobson and the players have been candid about Saturday's loss to Loyola — but they're also not going to participate in that discussion on Twitter or Facebook.

'(Critics) have their things to say, and that's totally fine. It's up to you to block it out,' Bohannon said. 'Coach always talks about keeping that circle small. If people only knew what we did every day after a loss, or having to step up to the media after a game and still face everything — it's a tough thing to do. We love each other in that locker room, and as bad as things are going, we've still got each other. We understand how hard each other works on a daily basis.

'The support we have in the locker room is the only thing we need. People are always going to have something to say.'

Depending on perspective, dealing with negativity can either be exacerbated or snuffed out by a team like the Shockers (12-5, 6-0 MVC) visiting Cedar Falls.

The locker room remains together, the players insist. Bohannon said, 'any time you're losing games and not feel your best or winning like you know you should, it's tough,' but 'we've got to keep learning and keep getting better, and understand the games don't stop.'

The Panthers (10-9, 2-4) have never shied away from big games, and their coach — who joked there's never a good time to play a team like Wichita State because of how good the team is — doesn't mind this is the next game. With Fred VanVleet healthy and playing well, teamed with Ron Baker, Shaq Morris inside and others on a fairly deep bench, Wednesday is certainly the toughest test yet in MVC play.

Maybe sometimes the best distraction from a distraction is a tough opponent.

'Sometimes it's good to be playing against the best there is to offer, whether that's in your league — an in Wichita's case in our league and nationally — sometimes it's best to have to push all your chips to the middle of the table,' Jacobson said. 'And Wichita (State) forces you to have to do that. From that standpoint, yes, (it's a good time to play them). Obviously you've got a lot of challenges, and obviously those are the things you get ready for.

'They're on an upward trajectory, that's for sure.'

UNI and Wichita State tip off Wednesday at 7 p.m. in McLeod Center.

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