Greg McDermott's move from Iowa State to Creighton was a bad one ... for Northern Iowa

Ames High School had a boys' basketball juggernaut the previous two seasons. Zero losses, two state-titles, and perhaps as touted an individual player as the state has ever produced in Harrison Barnes.

But the Little Cyclones had more than Barnes. They also had Doug McDermott, who followed his father, Greg, to Creighton when Greg left Iowa State last spring to take the Bluejays' head coaching job.

Doug McDermott de-committed from Northern Iowa, with UNI's generous blessing, so he could play for his father in Omaha. What a loss for the Panthers.

Doug is averaging 13.5 points and 6.6 rebounds in his freshman year for Creighton, which is 12-5 overall and 4-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference. You think UNI couldn't use a 6-foot-7, 210-pounder who can step in and contribute like that. Ben Jacobson could have fit him on the Panthers' front line with 6-9, 255-lb. Jake Koch and 6-6, 260-lb. Lucas O'Rear.

Maybe McDermott would have come off the bench this season, or maybe O'Rear would have remained in his Sixth Man role. He was the Valley's Sixth Man of the Year the last two seasons, both of them conference-title years for UNI.

But McDermott clearly filled a void in the Creighton lineup. He is averaging 29 minutes, 13.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Nice freshman, huh?

Jacobson has two sons, but they are still a long way from high school-age. So he'll just have to keep recruiting. But he signed a 10-year extension to his contract last spring, so he'll be fine. Koch, by the way, is a sophomore who is extending the Koch legacy at UNI. His brother, Adam, was the Missouri Valley Player of the Year last season for the Panthers.

By the way, McDermott's numbers are actually topping those of Barnes so far. Barnes, who some had suggested would spend one season at North Carolina and then be the top pick in the 2011 NBA draft, is averaging 11.7 points and 5.5 rebounds.