What In the Name of Ben Jacobson is Going On?

Perhaps it was the slight of not being part of the Buffet's MVC preview. Perhaps it is because Chris Lowery, like Matt Painter before him, refuses to recruit anyone with any innate ability to put a basketball through a hoop. But Northern Iowa shook up the MVC and make the Buffet pay attention (lest you forget, the top seed in the MVC tournament has not won the conference tournament in 10 years, so upsets are the name of the game during Arch Madness)


Coach (not player) Ben Jacobson is rebuilding. And it looked early like the the building was complete, a 4-0 start to the season, including a win over UMass and at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, but then Thanksgiving happened, a loss at South Dakota State later, and it was clear that Eric Coleman and the gang had not yet arrived, and the MVC conference season beared that out, going 9-9, but struggling mightily on the road (3-6) ... but now they've run off 3 straight, and are hot at the right time. UNI's problem has been finding someone to work with Eric Coleman, although if he goes to the FT line 19 times every night as he did against So Illinois in their MVC quarterfinal action, maybe they don't. Coleman has been good 12.9 points, 8.6 rebs, 1.4 blocks, shooting 55% from the field ... but the difference has been guys averaging 6 to 8 points per game rising up to score some point. Adam Viet (5.8 pts per game) tossed in 19 points against So Illinois in the quaterfinal upset, and had 16 against Indiana St in a 15 point UNI win on February 27. Then, on March 1, @Evansville, Adam Koch (8.6 points, 5.8 rebounds) had his second career 20 point performance in a 3 point Northern Iowa win (Buffet Quiz: the other was against what team?)

**it should be noted that the Buffet composes this with the OVC Championship between Tennessee State (non-directional version) versus Austin Peay as the backdrop, observations from this game will be provided, where applicable -- I will say this, Bruce Price for Tenn St is a stud.**

**"Let's go Peay! Let's go Peay!" One of the all-time greatest fan chants. Not quite the tradition of "Rock Chalk Jayhawk," but still**

**Tennessee State is a fun team, and will be back in this final next year, barring injury, little Gerald Robinson Jr., a 6'0 freshman guard, almost fully a shaved dome, except for a landing strip that runs mohawk-style over the top of his head, is a blur all over the court, and loves to show people he can dunk... not to mention All-Name Nominee LeDarious Weaver to go with Bruce Price**

**By the way, there's no argument the Buffet dislikes more is "If you take Michael Beasley off of K-State, there is now way the Wildcats are talking NCAA tourney, not so if you take Hansborough off of UNC. Whether you like or dislike UNC is irrelevant, this is the Player of the Year, and you evaluate who has been the best, and that's not to say Beasley isn't**

Congratulations: Winthrop Eagles

The second autobid, but the first bid earned via conference tournament was secured, unsurprisingly, in dominant fashion, which is a surprise, by the Big South Tournament Champions Winthrop, 66-48. Michael Jenkins equaled a Big South Championship game record with 33 points, Andre the Giant only lumbered his way to 4 rebounds, and Randy Peele (replacing Gregg Marshall who left Winthrop to lead Wichita State to the bottom of the Missouri Valley) continued the Eagles Big South Dynasty. Playing with heavy hearts (the lost backup PG DeAndre Adams in a car accident last May, and dedicated the 2007-8 season to him), Winthrop seemed inspired, especially in the second half as they ran out to a 22-10 spurt that gave them a 44-28 that they never truly relinquished. The game was a great scene, UNC-Asheville plays in a tiny gym, and the anticipation was so great that people were standing on a balcony overlooking one of the baskets, and the PA repeatedly pleaded for fans to "squeeze in and make room" during pregame warmups.

Jenkins has quickly established himself as a leading contender for the Buffet All-12 Days of Conference Tourney teams.

More previews/midviews to come....