The Northern Iowa Panthers men's basketball team represents the University of Northern Iowa located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. UNI is currently a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. The Panthers have appeared nine times in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, most recently in 2026.
Contents
Postseason results
NCAA Division I tournament
Northern Iowa has made the NCAA tournament nine times. The Panthers have a record of 5–9.
NIT history
Northern Iowa has made the NIT three times, with a record of 2-3.
Other tournaments
NAIA National Tournament appearances: 1946, 1948, 1949, and 1953 (2–4 combined tournament record)
Competed in the 2007 World University Games as Team USA (finished ninth)
Ben Jacobson era
Jacobson's biggest coaching accomplishment to date was in the 2009–10 season, when the Panthers made a run into the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament, highlighted by an upset of top national seed Kansas. ESPN.com columnist Pat Forde called the Panthers' win "the biggest tourney upset in years," and called the clinching shot by Panthers guard Ali Farokhmanesh "the gutsiest early-round shot in NCAA tournament history."
Jacobson also coached UNI as it became the first college program ever to represent the United States of America at an international basketball competition. In August 2007, UNI was chosen to be Team USA at the World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand. Donning the Red, White and Blue, UNI went 5–1 in the tournament, losing only to eventual gold medalist Lithuania, while posting wins over Angola, Turkey, China, Finland, and Israel.
On November 15, 2014, Jacobson became the all-time win leader for a coach in UNI Men's basketball history. After recording a win over his alma mater University of North Dakota, he notched his 167th UNI victory. Additionally, in the 2014–15 season, Jacobson led the Panthers to their highest ranking in school history (#10) in the AP and (#9) in the Coaches Poll. UNI also in that season achieved the most wins in the school's history with 31. Jacobson has also been awarded the Missouri Valley Conference coach of the year award in 2009, 2010, and 2015.
On November 21, 2015, Jacobson led UNI to a victory over #1 North Carolina. The win was one of the biggest in program history and came in just the first meeting of the two basketball programs. Just four days later, the coach hit another career milestone. After defeating the University of Dubuque convincingly, the coach recorded his 200th victory at the university.
In the first round of the MVC tournament, Jacobson notched his 250th Northern Iowa career win against Evansville on March 1, 2018.
On February 27, 2021, he earned his 300th win as coach in the regular season finale against Illinois State.
On March 8, 2026, Jacobson became the first coach in Missouri Valley Conference history to win four games in four days to clinch the MVC tournament (Arch Madness) title. As of 2026, Northern Iowa's win also marked the lowest seed (6) to ever win the MVC tournament.
Notable players
A. J. Green
Darian DeVries
Ali Farokhmanesh
Jon Godfread
Paul Jesperson
Adam Koch
John Little
Greg McDermott
Jeremy Morgan
Nick Nurse - Coached Toronto Raptors to 2019 NBA Championship and named NBA Coach of the Year in 2020.
Seth Tuttle
Wes Washpun
Rivalries
The school has several statewide and national rivalries. In Iowa, UNI used to play two, if not three of its Iowa neighbors for the Iowa Big Four men's college basketball mythical championship. The university also used to play either the Iowa Hawkeyes or Iowa State Cyclones in the Hyvee Big Four Classic held at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. UNI’s MVC rivals are UIC, Bradley, and the Drake Bulldogs.