NCAA Basketball: 5 best mid-major teams so far this season

3. Northern Iowa Panthers

This rank may come as a surprise to most, but the Panthers have really had a strong showing so far this season. UNI currently holds a 7-2 record, and their two losses have come against high-quality opponents.

The first loss for the Panthers came in the first game of the season where they dropped an 86-69 decision to the North Carolina Tar Heels. They have also lost to the Villanova Wildcats in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game, 64-50. Both of these teams, however, are currently ranked in the top-15 in the AP rankings.

Despite these losses, Northern Iowa has picked up some quality wins, giving them the No. 20 rank in the latest RPI rankings.

In the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, the Panthers defeated SMU and NC State in consecutive games. They have also defeated UNLV and most recently beat UT-Arlington, who is a very underrated team. This team has played some very tough opponents so far this season.

Much of the success of the Panthers is due to the play of senior forward Bennett Koch, who currently averages 15.4 points per game while adding 7.8 rebounds per game. Fellow senior Klint Carlson (10.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and sophomore Juwan McCloud (11.3 ppg) are also key contributors this season.

Upcoming Schedule:

• Dubuque (5-3) at Northern Iowa on Dec. 10
• Northern Iowa vs. Iowa State (6-2) in Des Moines, IA on Dec. 16