Making the Grade: UNI men’s basketball Feb. 17-24

In last week's Making the Grade, the Northern Iowa defense received a lower grade than the offense for the first time this season. That was a one-week thing.

The Panthers returned to their suffocating form on the road against Loyola and at home against Bradley. And it was a good thing they did, too, because their opposition executed plans very well to take away UNI — and likely the Missouri Valley Conference's — best player in Seth Tuttle. They may not look flashy in the box score, but last week moved the Panthers (26-2, 15-1 MVC) two more games closer to their showdown with Wichita State for the regular season MVC title.

It was business as usual against the Ramblers and Braves, and Coach Ben Jacobson would like to keep it that way.

Schedule/Results

UNI at Loyola; W, 58-39

UNI vs Bradley; W, 56-39

Offense

B Why: It's not often a player like Seth Tuttle has back-to-back games where he's held to 10 points or less, but Loyola and Bradley were able to do just that last week.

In both games, opposing coaches used special emphasis on Tuttle to deny him even the chance to have a serious impact offensively. Against Loyola, Tuttle was denied the ball with an off-ball double team when the ball swung to his side of the floor on several occasions. When he got the ball, there was an instant double. The Ramblers also closed out quickly to the perimeter, and had a helper waiting if he drove.

Against Bradley, the Braves employed a box-and-1 defense, with the spy on Tuttle. A box-and-1 traditionally isolates a guard, something Jacobson mentioned in his media availability on Monday as being quite frustrating to deal with. But in both games, the offensive workload got shared among others, and Tuttle's teammates came through with enough offense to get a pair of comfortable wins. Nate Buss led the team in scoring both games, and Wes Washpun was effective at the point.

Once the Panthers get beyond MVC regular season and tournament play, there's a solid chance other teams will employ something wacky to stop their leading scorer. If they're going to make a run, his teammates will need to step up like they did last week.

Defense

A Why: Ben Jacobson gets a lot of credit for how he prepares his team through intense practices and defensive drills. What he doesn't get enough credit for is his choices and adjustments within games.

In the first half against Bradley, the Braves were frustrating the Panthers with the box-and-1 against Tuttle on one end, and getting just enough shots to fall, plus offensive rebounds, to keep the score within four at 27-23. Jacobson then employed a full-court man-to-man defense off made shots where Deon Mitchell or Wes Washpun picked up the man bringing the ball up the floor and a teammate beside him to shadow the in-bounder. The tactic frustrated and flustered the Braves over the course of about 10 minutes as the Panthers forced turnovers, travels and a backcourt violation.

Jacobson's willingness to adjust on the fly has won UNI a handful of games this season just based on one or two adjustments from a coaching perspective. He's quick to call himself to the carpet for mistakes and deflects credit as much as he can. Even if he isn't the one to spark an idea, he's at least listening to the right suggestion from an assistant and going with it. UNI gets its toughness from its coach, and giving up 78 points in two games is the best example of that.

Players (in last two games)

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Nate Buss, forward

— For the first time all season, someone other than Seth Tuttle led the Panthers in scoring over the course of a week. Buss came up big in a few key spots in both games, cashing in on his usual short corner jumper and a few 3-pointers. His offense will be important if teams bottle up Tuttle again.

Seth Tuttle, forward

— Had to be frustrating for Tuttle being isolated like that against Bradley and seeing so many double-teams against Loyola. But great players affect the game in multiple ways, and he was still vital defensively, rebounding and passing. Don't expect a third game in a row where he's stifled that much, though.

Wes Washpun, guard

— Was a little wild with some of his drive and kicks in both games, but for the most part was effective in controlling the ball. And when it comes to defense, don't be shocked to see him leading the full-court man-to-man defense again soon. His in-your-shorts defense created a few turnovers.

Jeremy Morgan, guard

— Shot a lot more than normal last week, but a lot of that had to do with the Panthers taking more outside shots as a team with Tuttle's isolation. He wasn't super effective offensively, but made up for it as usual on the other end.

Matt Bohannon, guard

— He and Tuttle can now bond over being shadowed. He didn't get a ton of opportunities on offense, but cashed in on a few. He had a really good week on defense and on the glass, something that'll be a boon for UNI if he continues that performance going forward.

Deon Mitchell, guard

— Like Washpun, his ability to overcome mistakes on offense with consistency on defense puts UNI in a great spot at the point. He can still be a bit inconsistent with his decisions and execution going to the basket — especially on the fast break. If he finds that consistency, they'll score like they did two weeks ago.

Paul Jesperson, guard

— Seemed a bit indecisive on the perimeter on several occasions last week, choosing not to pull the trigger when maybe he should've. Nonetheless, caution can lead to efficiency, and if he's efficient on offense, all the better for the Panthers.

Marvin Singleton, forward

— He also saw double-teams against Loyola, and struggled against them. Against Bradley, the zone defense left him in no man's land offensively. That led Jacobson to go with Buss more often than not. Singleton's strength is often where no one but his coaches and teammates can see, so even if his point total is low, his contributions aren't.

Upcoming Week

UNI vs Evansville, 7 p.m. Wednesday at McLeod Center in Cedar Falls

UNI at Wichita State, 1 p.m. Saturday at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kan.

Past weeks: Nov. 15-22; Nov. 23-30; Dec. 1-8; Dec. 8-15; Dec. 16-23; Dec. 23-30; Dec. 30-Jan. 6; Jan. 6-12; Jan. 12-20; Jan. 20-27; Jan. 27-Feb 2; Feb. 2-10; Feb. 10-17

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