The Iowa House and Senate, Monday, honored the University of Northern Iowa men’s basketball team for its championship season. U-N-I won the Missouri Valley Conference Championship and won 31 of its 35 games — breaking the school record of most victories in a season. Senator Jeff Danielson of Cedar Falls shook coach Ben Jacobson’s hand as he handed the team leader a copy of the senate resolution honoring the team.

“Thank you so much for your leadership, not only on the court but off the court. We understand you’ve signed a long term contract,” Danielson said, as other senators cheered and clapped. “We’re happy to hear that.” Representative Bob Kressig, of Cedar Falls, read from the resolution that passed the House early Monday afternoon.

“Eleven of the 16 UNI men’s basketball team members are native Iowans,” Kressig said. The section of the resolution that Representative Walt Rogers of Cedar Falls read noted the Panther’s undefeated record at home in the McLeod Center.  “The team’s 16 consecutive wins and seven consecutive road wins ignited UNI fans and alumni not only in the Cedar Valley that UNI calls home, but across the state, the nation and the world,” Roger said. Coach Jacobson was allowed to speak on the senate floor.

“We are the University of Northern Iowa. We are extremely proud of it. We also understand that we represent the entire state of Iowa when we have the opportunity to go out and play in the NCAA tournament. We also understand we represent everybody in the things that we do every day on and off the floor,” Jacobson said, then he gestured to his team. “These guys are absolutely tremendous in everything that they do.”

Jacobson’s team beat Wyoming by 17 points in their first N-C-Double-A tournament game this March, but the Panthers lost to Louisville in the following round. Jacobson was named “coach of the year” in the Missouri Valley Conference.

(Radio Iowa/Learfield Sports)

Added experience at linebacker should help the Iowa defense make strides next season. The Hawkeyes’ linebacker Coach Jim Reid says ” I think we’re going to be playing hard, we’ve got to be physical, we’ve got to make more plays, and I think we’ve got the guys there to do it.” The unit features five players who gained valuable experience in 2014. Last year an inexperienced group was exploited for several big plays.

Reid says “We all believe that we’re headed in the right direction with this crowd, adn it’s a fun crowd to coach because they are into it – big time. I know Coach Parker feels good about anything, you know we’re going in the right direction.” In the run game,  Reid says the linebackers need to do better job of setting the edge.

“It’s an 11-man responsibility,” he says, “To defend the pass, to defend the run on the flanks, do defend the run inside. It’s an 11-man responsibility. We all have to get to the football.”

A year ago the Hawkeyes were hurt by several teams who were able to fun on the flanks. Reid says “We have to defend, is the big play, which most of them did happen on the flank, in terms of the run game. But I think what you’re gonna see, is basically the same scheme, and all we gotta do is change the numbers…on the jerseys.”

The Hawkeyes travel to West Des Moines on Saturday for a practice at Valley Stadium.

(Learfield Sports)