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Northern Iowa Basketball: 2021-22 season preview and outlook for Panthers

By Harry Schroeder

ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 10: Head coach Ben Jacobson of the Northern Iowa Panthers reacts to a play on the court against the Bradley Braves during the final game of the MVC Basketball Tournament at the Enterprise Center on March 10, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 10: Head coach Ben Jacobson of the Northern Iowa Panthers reacts to a play on the court against the Bradley Braves during the final game of the MVC Basketball Tournament at the Enterprise Center on March 10, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /
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Northern Iowa Basketball head coach Ben Jacobson 190105 Uni S Illinois 031 Jpg
Northern Iowa Basketball head coach Ben Jacobson 190105 Uni S Illinois 031 Jpg /

Another solid schedule for the Panthers

Jacobson typically builds a very representative schedule and he did again this season. The Diamondhead Classic brings Christmas holiday opportunities. UNI opens against Liberty (NET – 85) with possible encounters with Stanford (56), Vanderbilt (110), and others.

UNI’s nonconference schedule includes games at Arkansas (NET – 14), St. Bonaventure (31), Marshall (89), and Richmond (68). Eric Musselman’s Razorbacks are ranked 13th in our preseason poll and they reached last season’s Elite Eight.

St. Bonaventure coming off a 16-5 season and are a senior-led team. The Bonnies are 21st in our preseason poll and allowed just 61 points per game last season. While known for their defense (that scoring average was seventh-best nationally), the Bonnies boast of three of the Atlantic Ten’s top ten returning, leading scorers.

Richmond had numerous covid issues last year and still finished 14-9. The Spiders, the Bonnies, Saint Louis, and Virginia Commonwealth should battle for the top of the A-10 this season. Head coach Chris Mooney has averaged 18 wins per season during his 16 Richmond campaigns.

Jacobson’s teams have a habit of upsetting ‘power conference’ teams. ‘Jake and the Giant Killers’ have recorded two victories over number one ranked teams. During the 2010 NCAA Tournament the Panthers reached the Sweet Sixteen by knocking off overall number Kansas. UNI’s 2015 win over # 1 North Carolina, happened during the regular season. That same postseason ‘the Giant Killers’ dispatched of 22nd ranked Texas.

Conference USA’s Marshall went 15-7 last year and ASUN power Liberty was 23-6. Those two opponents will fly under the radar for casual basketball fans, but they are significant ‘peer matchups’ for Jacobson’s squad.

Accumulating at least five games from last year’s top 100 in the N.E.T. and head-to-head tilts with other upper-level mid-majors is a schedule ripe with resume-building opportunities.