Ben Jacobson

Ben Jacobson

They will be up early in the McLeod Center Tuesday morning when Northern Iowa hosts Stephen F. Austin in college basketball action. It will be a 7:00a.m. tip off as part of ESPN’s College Hoops Tip Off Marathon.

The Panthers beat the Lumberjacks 79-77 in double overtime last year in an early morning affair in Nacogdoches, Texas.

UNI coach Ben Jacobson says last year’s game is proof the early morning start won’t effect the quality of play.

“That’s one of the best games I have been a part of in 20 plus years”, said Jacobson. “I did not know going into but the time really did not impact the way the guys played or how they prepared and I would anticipate the same thing.”

UNI opened the season with a loss at home to Colorado State.