2. Northern Iowa Panthers
The most experienced coach in the Missouri Valley Conference also has the most experienced team. Northern Iowa’s Ben Jacobson enters his twentieth year as the Panthers’ head coach with eleven returning players including five who started multiple games last season.
Third team all-conference guard Trey Campbell averaged 11.3 points per game and is an outstanding defender and three-point marksman. Former Loyola Chicago wing Ben Swhwieger is a ten-point/five rebound guy with great athleticism.
Point guard R.J. Taylor and wing Leon Bond III are returning after each of their seasons were hindered by injury. Taylor started the first eight games last year and Bond missed ten games and was limited in several others. LB3 was well on his way to an all-newcomer recognition when injuries struck.
Sharp shooter Max Weisbrod appeared in all 33 games for the 20-13 Panthers, starting twelve. Weisbrod was a 40 percent shooter from deep and made 81 percent from the line.
Sophomore Will Hornseth had a productive rookie season and the 6’8 Wisconsin native set a program record for field goal percentage (.683). He’ll be joined in the UNI frontcourt by North Carolina State transfer Ismael Diouf. The Quebec native appeared in 18 Wolfpack games. Jacobson is hopeful that 6’10 Baylor transfer Marino Dubravcic will be a factor in the paint.
Weisbrod joined the Panthers from Division 2 and this year NAIA star Tristan Smith makes the D1 leap. The grad-transfer averaged 21 points, nine rebounds and five assists on his way to NAIA all-American status.
Jacobson has won 374 games and loves to recruit and develop freshmen. This year’s crop includes 6’8 rookie Jalen Wilson, Cameroon’s Levi Valdo and Geon Hutchins. The trio of three-star recruits have great promise.
UNI hasn’t won a regular season title since 2022 and has been missing from the NCAA Tournament since 2016. This is the kind of team that Jacobson has led into March Madness in previous seasons. They are deep, old, have good size up front and can bury the three.