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WNBANorthern Iowa (0-0) At Denver (0-0)
GAME NOTES: As the favorite to claim the title in the Missouri Valley Conference, the Northern Iowa Panthers begin their journey towards that end tonight as they visit the Denver Pioneers at Magness Arena.
UNI head coach Ben Jacobson, who is 3-0 in season openers, has five starters and nine of the top 10 scorers from a year ago returning, which is probably why the Panthers were picked to win the league championship by the MVC coaches and media. Last season, the program was picked to finish sixth, yet put up a strong 14-4 record in MVC play and ended up in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in program history. In finishing 23-11 overall, Jacobson earned MVC Coach of the Year honors.
The Pioneers have a bright outlook as well, and they have been picked to finish at or near the top in the Sun Belt Conference standings. Under the direction of Joe Scott, now entering his third campaign in the Mile High City, Denver is hoping to bounce back from a 2008-09 season that saw the team finish a game under .500 (15-16) and a mere 2-12 on the road. The squad was third in the West Division of the SBC with a 9-9 record. Good news for the Pioneers, they too return all five starters from a year ago.
With respect to the all-time series between these two schools on the hardwood, the Panthers won the only previous meeting.
The good news for the Panthers this season is that the team lists three seniors in the starting lineup, which means there will be plenty of leadership ready to be tapped. At the forward position the team will lean on Adam Koch who is returning after averaging 12.1 ppg and 5.1 rpg, the former number making him the top returning scorer from a year ago. A 2008-09 All-MVC First Team selection, Koch is expected to be back on that same list this season as well. He has improved his scoring output every year with the Panthers, beginning with a meager 2.8 ppg as a freshman, so growth is in his nature. Also expected to have a strong campaign is junior guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe who was also a Preseason All-MVC selection after having logged 11.8 ppg a year ago and dishing out 106 assists for this group. Senior center Jordan Eglseder may have to bang around a bit more in the paint in order to improve upon his 10.2 ppg and 6.4 rpg, but there's no doubt he'll do what it takes to get the job done. A member of the MVC All-Newcomer squad last season, Ali Farokhmanesh (9.6 ppg) would like nothing more than to finish his senior campaign with a bang.
One of the youngest teams in the nation a season ago, the Pioneers are still a squad that has limited experience, but also solid building blocks for the future. However, for a player like Nate Rohnert, the future is now because this is his senior campaign with the program. Rohnert, one of two seniors along with Tom Chott, is expected to be one of the top performers in the entire Sun Belt Conference, which means the pressure will be all on him to get this group to the next level. Last season Rohnert was responsible for a team- best 15.3 ppg, was also first on the team with his 146 assists and 40 steals, while placing second on the glass with close to five-and-a-half rebounds per outing. Now a junior, guard Rob Lewis was one of four players to have started every game last season and should again be a crucial piece to the puzzle after putting up 12.9 ppg and a team-high 5.5 rpg. Just a freshman last season, Brian Stafford (11.4 ppg) has already shown signs of what could be in the future, shooting an impressive 42.8 percent from three-point range. Toss in Andrew Hooper (9.2 ppg) who knocked down 46.6 percent of his threes a year ago and Denver is set for big things this time around.
Bringing back all five starters from a year ago and playing at home in the opener should give the Pioneers a much-needed advantage in this meeting, although UNI is not going to make it easy for Denver to come away with the win.
Predicted OutcomeDenver 67, Northern Iowa 65Copyright 2009 Courtesy of The Sports Network.
