The UNI basketball team opens up a two game road swing tonight when they visit Bradley in Peoria. UNI pounded the Braves 80-46 in their first meeting on New Year’s Day, but Panther coach Ben Jacobson says that game was very out of character for Bradley. “It was a strange game from the standpoint that you just don’t get league games like that very often,” Jacobson says.
According to Jacobson, the Braves are playing much better defense than they were three weeks ago as they are much more aggressive in guarding and have been rebounding hard. After a blowout win in their first meeting, it might be easy for the Panthers to take Bradley lightly in the rematch, but Jacobson says his players have seen just how much the Braves have improved.
Jacobson says that junior forward Nate Buss will again be in the starting lineup tonight after putting up a career high 26 points against Missouri State last Saturday. He says Buss has put a lot of time in to improve and that’s what has led him into the starting lineup.
The Panthers and the Braves tip off at 7:00 tonight.
By Jesse Gavin KCNZ Cedar Falls