Missouri Valley Conference report

SportsLine.com Report
April 5, 2000

In the paint

One positive for Northern Iowa at the end of the 1999-2000 season was the Panthers had to believe things couldn't go this wrong again.

Injuries, departures and disciplinary moves nagged Northern Iowa throughout the winter. But before a six-game losing skid late in the year, the Panthers did their best to fight off everything and anything. Still, their seventh-place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference was an improvement.

"Not to make excuses, but we went through a lot this year and last year," senior Cory Jenkins said.

A glance at 2001

A return to the vicinity of the .500 mark should carry over into next season for UNI. Guard Robbie Sieverding and forward Joe Breakenridge return to lead the charge, but shouldn't have to play as many minutes as they did during their junior seasons.

Why? The Panthers already have four transfers who came in at the semester break. Trey Austin, a 6-foot-8 forward who came over from Houston, will get the first crack at contributing.

The coach

Sam Weaver slowly is putting together his own team as he points toward his third season. In Weaver's first two seasons at Northern Iowa, the Panthers have gone 23-33.

Who'll be back

Sieverding averaged 16 points over the regular season despite finishing with a stress fracture in his leg, then went off for 24 in the first round of the MVC Tournament. Breakenridge led the league in rebounding for the second consecutive season with eight per game.

Aaron Middendorf and Derek Paben join Breakenridge for a decent trio of forwards. Kelvin Hill and Martin Coon fill in around Sieverding in the backcourt, where Hill made 21 starts as a junior.

Center David Bivins and guard Josh Wright played sparingly, while guard Andy Woodley will be coming back from a broken leg. Forwards Javorie Wilson and Blake Anderson both redshirted.

Who's gone

The loss of Jenkins and Tyler Peterson means UNI needs help in the post. Jenkins was the Panthers' second-leading scorer with 9.4 points a game.