UNI men’s basketball summer check-in: Panthers are healthier and deeper

CEDAR FALLS — Typically July doesn’t provide much in the way of college basketball news, but the Northern Iowa men’s basketball team has a lot more than just summer workouts going on right now.

UNI Coach Ben Jacobson recently told The Gazette that Nate Heise (hand), Bowen Born (lower body) and Cole Henry (ankle) are all healthy and participating fully in workouts.

Heise’s return — along with the additions of freshmen RJ Taylor, Kyle Pock, Wesley Rubin and junior transfer Jacob Hutson — give UNI five more players on the floor at practices than a year ago.

That depth has quickly provoked a higher level of competition.

“The thing that we’ve liked the most as coaches is the competitiveness in our workouts,” Jacobson said. “Whether it’s individual workouts, split groups or a full team workout. And that’s where it has to be.

“We know that we have got to make some significant improvements. Make some big strides in some areas to get ourselves to a place where we feel like we can get, and that’s playing championship basketball.”

Where UNI is looking to improve

Those improvements include some specifics, according to Jacobson. On offense, he wants to see his team play with more pace, get the ball to the likes of Tytan Anderson and Hutson on the block earlier and more frequently, and deliver opposing defenses more pressure.

Defensively, the focus is defending the 3-point line.

“We’ve got to get to (shooters) with a higher activity level,” Jacobson said. “Putting more pressure on guys when they’re holding the basketball. (There were) too many easy 3-point shots last year.”

How much the Panthers’ three highly-regarded freshmen could factor into improving those areas remains to be seen, but Taylor has provided the pace on offense that Jacobson is looking for. Pock is proving himself as a high-level shooter and the 6-foot-8 Rubin is flourishing in the offense as a result of his versatility.

“They’ve each got something that you notice when you’re at practice,” Jacobson said.

Austin Phyfe’s status remains unclear

Still on blood thinners from long-term effects from COVID-19, Jacobson said Austin Phyfe’s health is at 95 percent and he’s doing everything with the team besides contact. The NCAA granted his medical waiver for an additional year of eligibility, but another checkup at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota before the season will determine whether or not he returns to the court.

“If there isn’t a path to coming back off the blood thinners at no risk then he won’t be back (playing),” Jacobson said. “Either he’s going to be playing, or he’s going to stick around and get a year of grad school and do some coaching as a grad assistant.”

UNI’s non-conference schedule

The Panthers’ non-conference schedule is yet to be completed. It currently includes road games at Toledo, South Florida and Northern Illinois. Home games include Richmond and Prairie View A&M, and will ultimately include an additional buy game and a game against a non-Division I opponent.

UNI also will return to the Battle 4 Atlantis in late November, which features a stacked field that includes Arkansas, Memphis, Michigan, North Carolina, Stanford, Texas Tech and Villanova.

What definitely will not be happening is non-conference games against Iowa or Iowa State.

“Those conversations (with Iowa or Iowa State) are not happening,” Jacobson said. “So I don’t anticipate those games coming. But, our schedule is really good.”

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