UNI finds cure for some ailments in big win

CEDAR FALLS — On paper, Wednesday night's Missouri Valley Conference opener was a game Northern Iowa shouldn't have struggled with in any phase.

Against a previously 2-11 Bradley team that has a very young roster and hasn't had success in many stretches this season, UNI had an opportunity to cure what ailed it coming in.

The Panthers (9-5, 1-0 MVC) followed through as it was expected they would in a dominant 80-44 effort in the first game back at McLeod Center since Nov. 30. It was a game to cure a crisis of confidence for a few players — namely Bennett Koch — and UNI found it.

'I expected that our guys were going to be prepared and play very hard; that our effort was going to be great,' said Coach Ben Jacobson. 'When you have an opportunity on your home floor in conference play — it doesn't matter who you're playing. You've got to come and play. I didn't have any concerns our guys wouldn't come and play and give great effort.

'Obviously we've had some guys struggling a little bit. I was glad to see they were able to add to their confidence with the way they played tonight.'

After UNI got back from the trip to Hawaii for the Diamond Head Classic, Jacobson said they were going to spend some time propping up the guys who struggled to get their minds right and rework them into the offense.

That happened in and out of practice this week. Koch was chief among the guys Jacobson felt the need to focus on, and the Bradley game was the perfect opportunity to rebuild the confidence Koch had lost. He finished with 15 points on 5 of 7 shooting and added four rebounds, which he said was certainly the large boost he needed.

'I lost a little bit of confidence in Hawaii. I don't think I played the way I'm capable of,' Koch said. 'Me and coach sat down and he said he had faith in me. He helped me get back on my feet and I think I did very well (tonight). It helped my confidence a lot.'

More than anything, that was the theme of the Panthers' dominance of the Braves (2-12, 0-1).

Scoring leader Wes Washpun took just four shots all night and finished with four points and six assists. Getting Koch and Klint Carlson more involved was an obvious and concerted effort from UNI, and Washpun dictated that on the court.

On multiple occasions, Washpun passed up shots he would've taken in other games this year to find a teammate in the paint. While that won't become the norm — Washpun running things out of the high ball screen isn't going anywhere — it was vital to the growth of the team that it happened Wednesday night.

Koch and Carlson responded, with Carlson adding 12 points (4 of 5 shooting) and six rebounds.

'This was a good game for our team to see Klint and Bennett again. (Klint) had a good two, three-game stretch and that obviously adds another thing for teams to defend,' Jacobson said. 'To see those guys get off to that start, we were able to continue to run some of the actions we were running (in practice) and not have to go straight to the ball screen with Wes.

'That's a good option for us to put the ball in his hands and have him do that — and we're obviously going to need that; we'll need him Saturday to be more involved — but tonight was a good night to get those two young big guys involved, and they both played good.'

UNI 'took a big step forward' on defense as well against Bradley, according to Jeremy Morgan, who led the Panthers with 18 points on 6 of 8 shooting, and added six rebounds and four assists. Their defensive rotations were crisper and communication was far better, he said.

This game was about curing that ailment, too.

Getting to the point where that's the norm has yet to come this season, and finding an overall consistency for this team is the next step. When that comes, Jacobson said, people will see the Panthers' full potential.

'You hope every week to 10 days that your team moves forward. We haven't necessarily done that in the non-conference,' Jacobson said. 'I'd like to go back and have a couple of (the losses) go the other way, but we need to use all that stuff. The stuff that was good, the stuff that wasn't as good; we have to use it all going forward so we can get to the point where we're consistent with what we do.

'I think we have a good team and good young players. The guys who have struggled a little bit I think are good, and it's our job to help them get consistent. When they do, I think we'll all like what we're watching.'

UNI goes on the road to Carbonable, Ill., to face Southern Illinois (12-2, 1-0) on Saturday at 7 p.m.

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