2015–16 Northern Iowa Panthers men's basketball team

The 2015–16 Northern Iowa Panthers men's basketball team represented the University of Northern Iowa during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Panthers, led by tenth year head coach Ben Jacobson, played their home games at the McLeod Center and were members of the Missouri Valley Conference (The Valley). They finished the 23–13, 11–7 in Missouri Valley play to finish in a tie for fourth place. The Panthers defeated Southern Illinois, Wichita State, and Evansville to win the Missouri Valley tournament and earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. As a No. 11 seed, they defeated Texas in the first round to advance to the second round, where they lost to the Texas A&M Aggies in double overtime after suffering the greatest collapse in NCAA Tournament history, blowing a 12 point lead with 35 seconds left in regulation.[1][2]

2015–16 Northern Iowa Panthers men's basketball
NCAA tournament, Second Round
ConferenceMissouri Valley Conference
Record23–13 (11–7 MVC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Erik Crawford
  • Kyle Green
  • P.J. Hogan
Home arenaMcLeod Center
Seasons
2015–16 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
Wichita State162 .889269 .743
Evansville126 .667259 .735
Illinois State126 .6671814 .563
Southern Illinois117 .6112210 .688
Northern Iowa117 .6112313 .639
Indiana State810 .4441517 .469
Missouri State810 .4441319 .406
Loyola Chicago711 .3891517 .469
Bradley315 .167527 .156
Drake216 .111724 .226
2016 MVC tournament winner

Previous season

The Panthers' starting five huddle during their December 5 game vs. Richmond.

The Panthers finished the 2014–15 season 31–4, 16–2 in MVC play to finish in second place. They defeated Bradley, Loyola–Chicago, and Illinois State to win the Missouri Valley tournament and received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. In the Tournament, they defeated Wyoming in the second round before losing in the Third Round to Louisville.

Departures

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownNotes
Nate Buss14F6'9"212SeniorCharles City, IAGraduated
Max Martino24G6'5"215SeniorCedar Rapids, IAGraduated
Deon Mitchell1G6'1"196SeniorPflugerville, TXGraduated
Marvin Singleton12F6'6"237SeniorMinneapolis, MNGraduated
Seth Tuttle10F6'8"220SeniorSheffield, IAGraduated

Incoming Transfers

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownPrevious School
Aarias Austin1G6'4"180JuniorGurnee, ILJunior college transfer from Des Moines Area Community College.

Incoming recruits

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
NameHometownHigh school / collegeHeightWeightCommit date
Luke McDonnell
PF
Dubuque, IADubuque Senior High School6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)200 lb (91 kg)Sep 18, 2013 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Spencer Haldeman
PG
Epworth, IAWestern Dubuque High School6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)170 lb (77 kg)May 12, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Justin Dahl
C
Eden Prairie, MNHoly Family Catholic High School6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)225 lb (102 kg)Aug 8, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Lincoln Conrey
SF
Waterloo, IAWaterloo West High School6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)230 lb (100 kg)Apr 15, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2015 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved July 25, 2014.

2016 recruiting class

US college sports recruiting information for 2016 recruits
NameHometownHigh school / collegeHeightWeightCommit date
Juwan McCloud
PG
Germantown, WIGermantown High School5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)150 lb (68 kg)May 9, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

Roster

2015–16 Northern Iowa Panthers men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
G1Aarias Austin6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)180 lb (82 kg)JrDes Moines Area CC
Warren Township
Gurnee, IL
F2Klint Carlson6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)225 lb (102 kg)RS SoWaverly-Shell RockWaverly, IA
C3Ted Friedman6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)245 lb (111 kg)RS SoAnkenyAnkeny, IA
G4Paul Jesperson6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)206 lb (93 kg)RS SrVirginia
Merrill
Merrill, WI
G5Matt Bohannon6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)195 lb (88 kg)SrLinn-MarMarion, IA
G11Wes Washpun6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)175 lb (79 kg)SrWashingtonCedar Rapids, IA
F12Lincoln Conrey6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)230 lb (104 kg)FrWaterloo WestWaterloo, IA
C15Justin Dahl6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)250 lb (113 kg)FrHoly FamilyCarver, MN
G20Jeremy Morgan6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)192 lb (87 kg)JrIowa City WestCoralville, IA
G22Robert Knar6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)180 lb (82 kg)RS SoMundeleinMundelein, IL
F25Bennett Koch6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)232 lb (105 kg)RS SoAshwaubenonAshwaubenon, WI
G30Spencer Haldeman6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)170 lb (77 kg)FrWestern DubuquePeosta, IA
G33Wyatt Lohaus6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)185 lb (84 kg)SoIowa City WestNorth Liberty, IA
F35Luke McDonnell6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)210 lb (95 kg)FrDubuque SeniorDubuque, IA
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule

[3]

Date
time, TV
Rank#Opponent#ResultRecordSite (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
11/01/2015*
4:00 pm
Truman StateW 70–50 
McLeod Center (4,455)
Cedar Falls, IA
Non-conference regular season
11/14/2015*
11:00 am
Colorado State
MW–MVC Challenge
L 78–84 0–1
McLeod Center (4,455)
Cedar Falls, IA
11/17/2015*
7:00 am, ESPN2
Stephen F. Austin
College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon
W 70–60 1–1
McLeod Center (4,720)
Cedar Falls, IA
11/21/2015*
1:00 pm, ESPN3
No. 1 North CarolinaW 71–67 2–1
McLeod Center (7,018)
Cedar Falls, IA
11/25/2015*
7:00 pm, ESPN3
DubuqueW 83–63 3–1
McLeod Center (4,578)
Cedar Falls, IA
11/28/2015*
2:00 pm, MidcoSN
at North DakotaW 97–51 4–1
Betty Engelstad Sioux Center (2,302)
Grand Forks, ND
11/30/2015*
7:00 pm, ESPN3
North TexasW 93–70 5–1
McLeod Center 
Cedar Falls, IA
12/05/2015*
5:00 pm, CSN
at RichmondL 67–82 5–2
Robins Center (6,323)
Richmond, VA
12/08/2015*
6:00 pm, ASN
at George MasonW 73–65 6–2
EagleBank Arena (4,102)
Fairfax, VA
12/12/2015*
8:00 pm, ESPN3
at New Mexico
Diamond Head Classic mainland round
L 57–76 6–3
The Pit (13,154)
Albuquerque, NM
12/19/2015*
6:00 pm, ESPNU
vs. No. 5 Iowa State
Big Four Classic
W 81–79 7–3
Wells Fargo Arena (15,424)
Des Moines, IA
12/22/2015*
12:30 am, ESPN2
at Hawaiʻi
Diamond Head Classic quarterfinals
L 52–68 7–4
Stan Sheriff Center (8,463)
Honolulu, HI
12/23/2015*
10:30 pm, ESPNU
vs. Washington State
Diamond Head Classic consolation
W 63–59 8–4
Stan Sheriff Center (7,365)
Honolulu, HI
12/25/2015*
2:30 pm, ESPNU
vs. BYU
Diamond Head Classic 5th place game
L 76–84 8–5
Stan Sheriff Center (6,172)
Honolulu, HI
Missouri Valley Conference regular season
12/30/2015
7:00 pm, ESPN3
BradleyW 80–44 9–5
(1–0)
McLeod Center (5,230)
Cedar Falls, IA
01/02/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3
at Southern IllinoisL 73–75 9–6
(1–1)
SIU Arena (6,106)
Carbondale, IL
01/06/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3
at Missouri StateL 58–59 9–7
(1–2)
JQH Arena (4,297)
Springfield, MO
01/09/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3
DrakeW 77–44 10–7
(2–2)
McLeod Center (5,105)
Cedar Falls, IA
01/13/2016
6:00 pm, ESPN3
at Indiana StateL 60–74 10–8
(2–3)
Hulman Center (3,544)
Terre Haute, IN
01/16/2016
3:00 pm, ESPN3
Loyola–ChicagoL 41–51 10–9
(2–4)
McLeod Center (6,033)
Cedar Falls, IA
01/20/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3
Wichita StateL 55–74 10–10
(2–5)
McLeod Center (5,425)
Cedar Falls, IA
01/23/2016
3:00 pm
at Illinois StateL 67–76 10–11
(2–6)
Redbird Arena (7,103)
Normal, IL
01/27/2016
8:00 pm, ESPN3
at BradleyW 68–50 11–11
(3–6)
Carver Arena (5,334)
Peoria, IL
01/31/2016
3:00 pm, ESPN3
Southern IllinoisW 67–58 12–11
(4–6)
McLeod Center (5,275)
Cedar Falls, IA
02/03/2016
6:00 pm, ESPN3
EvansvilleW 57–54 13–11
(5–6)
McLeod Center (4,805)
Cedar Falls, IA
02/06/2016
1:00 pm, CBSSN
at DrakeW 82–66 14–11
(6–6)
Knapp Center (4,724)
Des Moines, IA
02/10/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3
Missouri StateW 83–69 15–11
(7–6)
McLeod Center (5,755)
Cedar Falls, IA
02/13/2016
11:00 am, ESPN2
at No. 25 Wichita StateW 53–50 16–11
(8–6)
Charles Koch Arena (10,506)
Wichita, KS
02/17/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3
at Loyola–ChicagoL 56–59 16–12
(8–7)
Joseph J. Gentile Arena (1,690)
Chicago, IL
02/20/2016
3:00 pm, CBSSN
Illinois StateW 75–66 17–12
(9–7)
McLeod Center (6,145)
Cedar Falls, IA
02/24/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3
Indiana StateW 66–44 18–12
(10–7)
McLeod Center (5,911)
Cedar Falls, IA
02/27/2016
1:00 pm, ESPN3
at EvansvilleW 54–52 19–12
(11–7)
Ford Center (6,552)
Evansville, IN
Missouri Valley tournament
03/04/2016
2:30 pm, ESPN3
(4) vs. (5) Southern Illinois
Quarterfinals
W 66–60 20–12
Scottrade Center (10,560)
St. Louis, MO
03/05/2016
2:30 pm, CBSSN
(4) vs. (1) Wichita State
Semifinals
W 57–52 OT21–12
Scottrade Center (14,299)
St. Louis, MO
03/06/2016
1:00 pm, CBS
(4) vs. (2) Evansville
Championship
W 56–54 22–12
Scottrade Center (14,299)
St. Louis, MO
NCAA tournament
03/18/2016*
8:50 pm, TBS
(11 W) vs. (6 W) Texas
First Round
W 75–72 23–12
Chesapeake Energy Arena (15,279)
Oklahoma City, OK
03/20/2016*
6:40 pm, truTV
(11 W) vs. (3 W) No. 15 Texas A&M
Second Round
L 88–92 2OT23–13
Chesapeake Energy Arena (15,279)
Oklahoma City, OK
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
W=West Region.
All times are in Central Time.

References