Making the Grade: UNI men's basketball Nov. 14-24

The 2015-16 season officially got rolling this week, and for the Northern Iowa men's basketball team, there some downs and very, very high ups.

The Panthers (2-1) look different this season, and play a little different, too. There's still obviously an emphasis on defense, but with the lineups Coach Ben Jacobson runs now, its execution is different. It's been a mixed bag on both ends of the floor through the first three games, but the seeds of season-long success are there.

It'll take a while before UNI's identity is in sharp focus, so for now what fans and onlookers see is the (pretty darn solid) work in progress.

Each week of the season, we'll break down the Panthers' offensive and defensive performance and give them grades, as we'll as highlight each player who contributed significantly and his individual performance. This week's Making the Grade highlights Games 1 through 3, against Colorado State, Stephen F. Austin and North Carolina.

Schedule/Results

UNI vs Colorado State; L, 84-78

UNI vs Stephen F. Austin; W, 70-60

UNI vs No. 1 North Carolina; W, 71-67

Offense

* B+ Why: The offense is far from its final form, but what the Panthers have done so far is let Wes Washpun dictate almost all of it. It's essentially a triple-option offense. The high ball screen everyone got so used to last year is back, but this time around it's Washpun's decision to pass to the screener (who rolls), drive or drive and kick. The latter depends on the four-guard lineup having three other guards who are moving away from the ball. The Panthers get into the same motion they ran last year, with Paul Jesperson playing the Nate Buss-type role, where he can screen and roll out to the wing for an open shot.

It's not complicated, but it requires persistence and patience, something Washpun and Wyatt Lohaus have shown at the point. Particularly in the North Carolina game — specifically during the big comeback — Washpun read the floor perfectly in nearly every possession. His drive and kicks to open shooters got open shots in all three games with regularity.

Where the Panthers struggled offensively was both in the post and with shot selection. There were a few times on a kick out from the post, guards passed up a shot and dribbled into a worse situation. Offensive rebounding wasn't outstanding, but has improved.

Defense

* B- Why: In the season-opener, the defense was reminiscent to the 2013-14 Panthers. The fundamental part of the Pack Line defense — guarding the ball first — was woeful, and UNI paid the price dearly. Colorado State made driving to the hoop look easy and defensive rotations weren't nearly as crisp as they've been in the past. Even box-outs weren't sharp.

But after the opener, the Panthers have looked a whole lot more like the ones we've all come to expect on the defensive end. Granted, the Rams play a much different style of offense than Stephen F. Austin or North Carolina, but UNI guarded the ball much better and the rotations were clean. That was especially important in the upset of the Tar Heels.

After Kennedy Meeks scored the first eight points for UNC, the UNI defense adjusted. Whenever Meeks or Brice Johnson got the ball on the block, the defending guard would crash to double, and the other three would rotate into space to deny a good exit pass to an open shot. It worked repeatedly against the Tar Heels, and kept the ball out of the paint for most of the second half. That put the onus on the UNI guards, whose work in space was great and rotations were excellent.

Players (in last three games)

* To view more data, click here.

Wes Washpun, guard — It's hard to overstate how important he was against North Carolina, and that role is one he'll have to shoulder the rest of this season if the Panthers are going to go where they want to go. His court vision and decision-making have been great, and his execution has been excellent. He's every bit the leader Jacobson and Co. hoped he'd be.

Matt Bohannon, guard — Before the season, Jacobson mentioned Bohannon would score a lot more this year. With 17 points per game so far, that prediction is ringing true. The Linn-Mar grad has been aggressive in finding shots — even off the dribble — and quick to pull the trigger on a kick-out. Most of all, he's been incredibly efficient.

Jeremy Morgan, guard — Speaking of efficiency, this guy has been the most efficient for the Panthers so far. He's shooting 60 percent from the field and 56 percent from deep. His consistency on offense is surpassed only by his defense, which remains as good as ever. He has six steals in three games, none more important than the last one against UNC.

Paul Jesperson, guard — If anyone was wondering about his foot, they have their answer. Jesperson has risen to the occasion of moving to the 4 spot. He's been burned a few times defensively, but held his own well against Brice Johnson. He also leads the team in rebounding — not something most anticipated coming in. He's hit big shots and been a leader.

Aarias Austin, guard — He didn't play much against UNC — not at all in the second half, actually — but he's been effective for stretches when he's played. He's got a quick trigger and is as quick as anyone on the team, his shot selection just needs to improve in a few spots.

Bennett Koch, forward — Hasn't gotten going yet, but shows tremendous promise offensively. He finished a couple tough buckets in the first three games, but foul trouble and some lapses defensively have limited his time on the floor. His overall effectiveness will improve as his defense improves.

Wyatt Lohaus, guard — Being able to float between the 2-guard and point guard is harder than it looks, but Lohaus has handled it pretty well so far. He was on the floor for most of the key portions of the last two games, and has been smart with the ball. If his shooting improves, the numbers will back that up.

Ted Friedman, forward — No, he's not great on offense — but he doesn't have to be. And even if he's not comfortable yet in the block, his passing has been good. Friedman's defensive performance against UNC was as important and vital as any other player on the floor. He rebounded well, defended Meeks and Johnson effectively and blocked shots. Those performances win minutes.

Upcoming Week

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

UNI at North Dakota, 2 p.m. Saturday at Betty Engelstad Sioux Center in Grand Forks, N.D.

UNI vs North Texas, 7 p.m. Monday at McLeod Center in Cedar Falls

*Full disclosure on grades: First things first, that's by subjective view after covering and re-watching games. Second, grades are an aggregate of the week, based on an 11-point scale. A is worth 11, A- 10, and so on through F, which is 0. Offense and defense are given a grade for each game and then averaged for the week.

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