Northern Iowa was a top-15 team as recently as 2015 and just missed out on the Sweet 16 in 2016. When many proclaimed the Missouri Valley Conference to be in trouble after the departure of Wichita State this summer, it was a clear slight of a UNI program that has more than its share of accomplishments the last 12 years.News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Friday, Nov 24th--Hoops HD
After an uncharacteristically disappointing 2016-17 season, the Panthers are back-again-with two consecutive impressive wins in the Battle 4 Atlantis, the latest a 64-60 victory over North Carolina State in the semifinals on Thursday. UNI won the battle of tempo with a team that had defeated Arizona the day before, and it got a tremendous game from Tywhon Pickford, a 6-foot-4 guard who is quickly becoming one of the most productive freshmen anywhere in the country. Pickford finished with 18 points and 18 rebounds-his fourth double-digit rebounding game this season-and Northern Iowa now is an improbable finalist at Atlantis, where it will meet Villanova. This tourney has already been a success for UNI and the MVC, which has had an outstanding start and ranked sixth in the conference RPI entering Thursday.
...
Today’s Menu:
...
Who would’ve thought it would be Villanova against Northern Iowa for the Battle 4 Atlantis, but that’s exactly the case as a pair of defense-minded teams meet (Noon, ESPN2). There are good matchups all day here in the Bahamas, with N.C. State against Tennessee for third place (2:30 p.m., ESPN), SMU vs. Western Kentucky for fifth place and Purdue against Arizona-in theory a Sweet 16 matchup in the March-for seventh and the right to avoid an 0-3 tournament performance.
...
A pair of undefeated MVC teams play intriguing games in the Savannah Invitational, with Loyola (Ill.) against UNC Wilmington and Valparaiso matched with Kent State.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
...
-NORTHERN IOWA VS VILLANOVA (Battle 4 Atlantis). Northern Iowa may be the surprise team of the year. Furthermore, if Northern Iowa wins this game, they may turn out to be the surprise team of the year. Maybe not just the surprise college basketball team of the year, but the surprise team of the year, period. They’ve managed two nice wins against SMU and NC State, but they’re really swinging for the mo0n today.
...
-LOYOLA CHICAGO VS UNC WILMINGTON (Savannah Invitational). Loyola comes in 5-0 and if they can win this tournament they will be on our radar. They are one of several MVC teams that are off to better than expected starts.
...
-VALPARAISO VS KENT STATE (Savannah Invitaitonal). Two really strong UTR teams coming into this with really good records so far.
O’Neal’s Career Day Pushes Indiana State Past Montana, 57-45--gosycamores.com
MSU Falls to No. 8 Baylor in First Game of Junkanoo Jam--missouristatebears.com
There’s a bow on the Valley’s hot startQuick Takes: Arizona lost in Atlantis--Bracketville
The Missouri Valley is off to a great collective start, but marquee wins had been lacking. Northern Iowa has changed that in the Battle 4 Atlantis. The Panthers beat a quality SMU team in their opener, and then downed a North Carolina State team that had just beaten No. 2 Arizona. Freshman wing Tywhon Pickford had an absurd 18 points and 18 rebounds in the win. The Panthers have a Friday date in the title game with No. 5 Villanova based mainly on their defense. In both wins in the Bahamas, they held their non-mid-major opponent to under 0.94 points per possession or less.
Other Thanksgiving Quick Takes:Northern Iowa beats NC State 64-60 in Battle 4 Atlantis--CBS Sports
...
Meanwhile, Northern Iowa’s early resume now includes wins over SMU and NC State. Those could help later on regardless of today’s outcome with ‘Nova.
Northern Iowa awaits another challenge vs. No. 5 Villanova--CBS Sports
No. 5 Villanova beats Northern Iowa 64-50 for Atlantis title--CBS Sports
Villanova vs. Northern Iowa: College basketball game preview, TV schedule--Busting Brackets
Villanova Basketball Wins Their 2nd Battle 4 Atlantis Championship over UNI 64-50--VU Hoops
UNI rallies past North Carolina State in Battle 4 Atlantis semifinals--The Gazette
UNI falls to No. 3 Villanova in Battle 4 Atlantis title game--The Gazette
UNI basketball: Panthers advance in Battle 4 Atlantis--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
College basketball: Panthers top N.C. State, set to take on Villanova--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
UNI Advances to Title Game at Battle 4 Atlantis--unipanthers.com
No. 5 Villanova Takes Crown Over UNI, 64-50--unipanthers.com
UNI Faces Wyoming, UCF in Thanksgiving Weekend Tourney--unipanthers.com
No comments:
Post a Comment