UNI hoops fills experience gap with Rhodes, Ashton

CEDAR FALLS — As the spring semester came to a close, the Northern Iowa men's basketball team found itself with two unexpected scholarships to fill.

One, vacated by Aarias Austin midseason, was, but it became two with the departure of Robert Knar a few weeks ago. That left Coach Ben Jacobson in a position to be selective about whom he brought in. With only one senior in Jeremy Morgan and three juniors in Wyatt Lohaus, Klint Carlson and Bennett Koch making up what will be a very young roster; it also left him in a position to check out the transfer market for ready-made talent.

He found it in Kirkwood transfer Hunter Rhodes, as well as Iowa State transfer Jordan Ashton.

'We recruit every year spending the majority of our time with high school players. I feel great about the four young guys that red-shirted for us, and I feel great about the three guys coming in on scholarship for us. As a group, that's a number of young guys,' Jacobson said. 'We happened to be in a position with Robbie transferring where it gets pretty young in our backcourt. With Wyatt and Jeremy being the two guys with playing experience and Spencer (Haldeman) coming off that red-shirt year, we're just young back there. This was an opportunity to add a great young guy with experience to a group I really like. Even though we'll be a little young, I really like our group.'

Rhodes' signing became official last week. Ashton announced his commitment on social media the same day Rhodes officially became a Panther, and his signing won't be official until he graduates from Iowa State.

With my final year of college basketball approaching, I had to make… April 28, 2016

With my final year of college basketball approaching, I had to make… https://t.co/ezdsiXRH2w

— Jordan Ashton (@SmoothBoy_23)

The latter means Jacobson can't officially comment on Ashton until he's a member of the team, per NCAA transfer rules. But with Rhodes, Jacobson talked at length about what the 6-foot, 175-pound guard will bring to the Panthers.

Rhodes finished his sophomore season at Kirkwood averaging 12.6 points and 4.1 assists per game, and shot 44.3 percent from the 3-point line. Oh, and the Eagles won the NJCAA Division II National Championship, to boot.

'Leading a team or being part of a team that wins a national championship, the way in which he goes about his business in terms of what we evaluate with his work ethic and the way he takes care of his teammates — all of the things we look for from a basketball standpoint, he certainly demonstrated those,' Jacobson said of Rhodes. 'He was certainly a fit. From a playing standpoint, he shot 44 percent from the 3-point line, he handles the ball and passes it, and understands exactly what needs to get done with the team. And he's got the toughness to be able to do it. We feel like we're getting a great young guy. He's done a lot of good things on the court.'

Ashton, meanwhile, makes the move as a graduate-transfer from Iowa State. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound guard started his career at Northwest Missouri State, then transferred to Kirkwood, where he averaged 16.4 points, three rebounds and 1.4 assists. He then spent last season with the Cyclones, with whom he played 24 games in their Sweet 16 campaign.

The Mount Pleasant native said he didn't really consider a transfer until after the season was over, but that when he did, UNI was an easy choice.

'I just felt like it was in my best interests and my future if I transferred from Iowa State. When I talked to Coach Jacobson, UNI had been a place I was interested in for a while — since high school,' Ashton said. 'I really like how they expect to win and they expect greatness. Coach Jacobson is a great coach. There are just great people, all around.

'I'll be done (at Iowa State) in early July, and then I'll go to Northern Iowa and start working out there, and I'll also play in the Prime Time League. I think we're going to be really good. We'll all come together.'

The additions of Rhodes and Ashton fill two of the three massive holes left in the backcourt, and offer a lift to a program with an ever-increasing ceiling for results on the court.

With a youth movement on the horizon and now experience to join them, Jacobson said it's a no-brainer that a third straight Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth are both in play for next season.

'Those expectations and the goals of getting back to the NCAA Tournament and winning the MVC Tournament are certainly not going to change,' Jacobson said. 'Regardless of the experience level of our team, the expectations and goals are not going to change. Being around the guys this spring, being in the weight room a little bit and seeing a bit of their individual workouts, talking with them, they can't wait. They can't wait and I can't wait either. I'm really excited about this group.'

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