Frustration builds for inconsistent UNI men’s basketball team: ‘We have to be better than this’

CEDAR FALLS — Inconsistency reared its ugly head once again for Northern Iowa’s men’s basketball team on Wednesday night.

The recent rotation change that seemed to help the Panthers (15-13, 9-8 MVC) turn a proverbial corner with back-to-back wins last week was followed by another disappointing loss, 81-73 at Illinois State.

Coach Ben Jacobson gave his harshest critique of his team this season after UNI was outrebounded and allowed the Redbirds (14-14, 8-9) to shoot 53 percent from the field.

“We didn’t play hard enough tonight,” Jacobson said on the Panthers Sports Network postgame show Wednesday night. “We didn’t block out enough and we didn’t get done what we needed to get done. We need to play harder and we need to play better come Saturday.”

Bowen Born finished with 14 points Wednesday and told The Gazette that Jacobson’s pointed remarks come from mutual frustration between players and coaches that know their play hasn’t consistently matched their talent level this season.

“I think (Jacobson) has been doing a really good job of pushing us and I think we all know how good we can be and I think that’s kind of something we’re all struggling with a little bit is not being satisfied with where we’re at,” Born said. “We’ve talked a lot about risk taking and what are you going to put on the line to help your team.”

The junior guard’s belief in Jacobson’s new rotation wasn’t shaken by the loss to Illinois State as he acknowledged that “everybody at this point is tired” and using depth is important, especially at this point of the season.

Born also agreed that this season is more of a test of patience and perseverance than the 2020-21 season he experienced as a freshman when the team finished 10-15.

“I think in a way seasons like this can almost be more challenging because of the expectations,” Born said. “Coming off preseason No. 2 (in the MVC poll), or preseason No. 3 or you’re the favorite from the different websites, other people are aware of that. Anytime you play teams it feels like we’re getting their best game. It can be frustrating overall and kind of like a building frustration just because every time you look at your record you’re like, ‘What? We have to be better than this.’”

Born added that the Panthers remain confident by nature of the moments they have played top-shelf basketball this season, and that their one-game mentality remains unchanged despite the inconsistencies.

Up next for UNI is a rematch against in-state rival Drake (23-5, 14-3) at McLeod Center in Cedar Falls Saturday at 5 p.m. (ESPN+).

The Bulldogs pulled away late at Knapp Center in Des Moines back on Jan. 27 for a 77-63 win, but did so as the Panthers played without Born, who missed the game with an illness.

“Super excited to be able to play in this (game),” Born said. “They’re tied with Indiana State right now, but we’re fighting for that fourth (seed), so it’s going to be a dogfight. Really we’ve just tried to focus on the things that were hurting us — rebounds and not guarding the ball.”

Comments: nathan.ford@thegazette.com