On Feb. 27, Northern Iowa was floundering. The Panthers had lost five of six and seemed a sure bet for the play-in round of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.

After winning three of four to end the season, including a come-from-behind 54-49 win over favored Southern Illinois in the MVC Tournament quarterfinals, the Panthers finished the season strong.

Northern Iowa's season started to go wrong in the fall when sophomore guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe was lost to a shoulder injury. That injury deprived UNI of its lone point guard, a problem that slowed the Panthers all season.

The Panthers had most of the other positions filled. Their inside game was one of the Valley's deepest.

Senior center Eric Coleman saved his best basketball for when the Panthers really needed it, earning double-doubles in his final five games to give UNI its push. Forward Adam Koch improved dramatically in his sophomore season and guard Kerwin Dunham showed promise.

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