(St. Louis, MO) – Two veteran coaches that have enjoyed significant success in the Missouri Valley Conference find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Greg Lansing of Indiana State and Northern Iowa’s Ben Jacobson have been conference tournament champions, seen their teams finish high in the league race repeatedly, but today they are tied for last place in the MVC standings.
Lansing has a better record in Terre Haute than any Sycamore coach since the late 1970s. Jacobson has been the author of some of the most dynamic moments and seasons in Panther history, but they are both 0-4 in league play.
Wyatt Lohaus – unipanthers.com
A key injury to UNI guard Wyatt Lohaus and a significant departure by INS center T.J. Bell caused both programs to adjust and learn how to play a little differently and with a more thin rotation.
Lansing’s Sycamores (6-10, 0-4) have lost six games by six or fewer points and have been getting destroyed in the rebounding department. While Bell, who left the program after the tenth game for ‘personal reasons’, wasn’t a dominating player, at 6’8 and 254 pounds he was an inside presence. He averaged 6.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game for a team that is the worst Valley team (statistically) at allowing offensive rebounds, second worst at rebounding margin and second last in scoring defense at 73.8 points per game.
Bell was heralded as one third of a three-headed monster that would patrol the middle of the Sycamore defense with Emondre Rickman and Brandon Murphy. ISU is 2-4 since he left the program, including two overtime losses in league play.
Lohaus would have been a key contributor to Jacobson’s rotation. The 6’2 junior would have lightened the offensive load from preseason player of the year Jeremy Morgan and post players Klint Carlson and Bennett Koch.
As a sophomore, Lohaus played over 18 minutes per game behind veteran guards Wes Washpun and Matt Bohannon. As the most experienced back court returning player Lohaus, was prepared to be the player that organized the Panther offense.
A knee injury limited him early on, and then sent him completely out of the lineup. Jacobson says the ripple effect on this year’s UNI (5-10, 0-4) team has been significant.
Neither of these veteran coaches have been in THIS position before and both are looking for some answers, and how to help their players turn the season around.
Lansing says his team is still searching for some players to find their roles, and to step into leadership roles.
Jacobson, has a lot of first year contributors and that is where Lohaus is missed the most. Those younger players are still making mistakes they won’t make later in their careers. The eleven year veteran says his team is making improvements.
While both teams are in ‘critical care’ Lansing remains upbeat and believes in his team and thinks they can recover and become a significant team in the Valley.
The two basement dwellers trade opponents this week as both take on improving squads at Drake (4-12, 2-2) and Bradley (7-10, 2-2). Those two games will go a long way to signaling a return to a successful path or long term struggle for these perennial first division teams.
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As we near the closing of the portal window, we've reached 1900. Some of them never to play college basketball again, earn a college degree and some to play at a much lower level than they did last season.
I guess we'll be seeing this in a @RacersHoops uniform this year. Glad AJ is staying in the @ValleyHoops.
