The U.N.I. Panthers are on the road, tonight, to battle a Wichita State team that is tied for second in the Valley. The Shockers have lost just one Missouri Valley matchup so far, and U.N.I. coach Ben Jacobsen says that their scoring balance has been hard for teams to deal with so far this season.
Jocobsen says they have so many guys that can score 8 or 9, and he says that makes it difficult. He says the guys on the bench could end up scoring more than the starters. Adding to the challenge is the venue.
Wichita’s Koch Arena is widely regarded as one of the toughest places to play in the Valley. Jacobsen says it’s “an unbelievable basketball environment” that he says impacts teams no matter what conference or level they play at.
The Panthers have had trouble putting points on the board in their first three conference road games. Jacobsen says that despite those struggles, if his team defends and rebounds well, they’ll be in good shape. He says the defense and rebounding will have to be really, really good.
Wichita State wants it to be a high scoring game but coach Greg Marshall says that is not easy against the Panthers. He says they keep you out of the lane and when you get it in there, they double team you. Marshall says the Panthers slow things down offensive, which gives you fewer possessions.
By Jesse Gavin KCNZ Cedar Falls