UNI's style of play poses test of wills for Iowa

CEDAR FALLS - Fran McCaffery wants to play fast at both ends of the floor. He's made no secret of his intentions since taking over the Iowa men's basketball program last year.

Northern Iowa Coach Ben Jacobson preaches tough defense and methodical scoring production. It's a grind-it-out, efficient style of offense that produces results.

Something has to give Tuesday in style of play between Iowa and Northern Iowa (7 p.m., KWWL). But it's not the primary concern for McCaffery.

"I don't look at it as, ‘OK, we're going to force our style of play,'" McCaffery said. "We're going to come into this game trying to win the game.

"The bottom line is, if the possessions are longer because of the fact they're moving the ball and they're running multiple options, well, that's going to be reflected in the score. But the same token they're a team that pride themselves on how they defend. Well, then it stands to reason that the possessions on our end might be longer, which also might be reflected in the score. It's just a matter of making sure that we do what we need to do to win the game, whether we're winning by running or not. That's how I look at it."

Northern Iowa boasts a 7-1 record and six straight victories. The Panthers won at Iowa State last week and beat 7-2 Providence form the Big East. Their only loss was a cross-country trip from Virginia to California for a game played at 1 a.m. Central against St. Mary's.

The Panthers average 67 points and allow just 59. Opponents average just 41.3 percent from the field. It's UNI's defense that has Iowa sophomore Melsahn Basabe's attention.

"They guard the paint well," Basabe said. "They try to get you to take jump shots, and they're physical. They're physical and they're scrappy, and they try to slow the pace down so they're not going to get into a sprint match with you.

"I dread these games when you've got to methodically beat a team, and that's what we had to do last year. The games will be physical. So it's definitely a big game and I'm just excited now."

McCaffery said his team has to value its possessions and avoid some of the same mistakes it committed against Creighton and Clemson.

"You can't quick-shoot the ball on the road," he said.