March Madness Matchup: St. John’s vs. Northern Iowa

The pace of play may significantly influence the outcome of St. John’s NCAA Tournament game against Northern Iowa, the No. 12 seed, on Friday.

Northern Iowa, champions of the Missouri Valley Conference, finished sixth among mid-major leagues during the regular season, yet they’re known for their exceptionally slow style of play. They don’t aggressively pursue offensive rebounds, leading the nation in the fewest points allowed at 61.3 per game. In contrast, St. John’s, seeded fifth in the East region, thrives on transitions, creating turnovers to apply pressure.

This contrast in styles makes the matchup intriguing. A Division I assistant coach, who faced Northern Iowa this season and has knowledge of St. John’s, noted, “The pace is crucial. If the game slows down to a possession style, Northern Iowa will likely excel because they prefer a methodical approach.” He added, “They don’t want to be playing catch-up.”

Head coach Ben Jacobson’s Panthers utilize a puck-line defense reminiscent of the strategy popularized by Tony Bennett at Virginia. They congest the paint to prevent drives, fearing fast breaks from opponents. Their defensive prowess is evident; they rank third in the nation for 3-point defense, allowing just 28.9 percent shooting. However, their tallest starter, 6-foot-8 forward Will Hornseth, indicates a lack of height overall.

“Defensively, they’re effective not just in forcing turnovers, but in making offensive plays challenging by packing the paint,” the coach observed. “Teams often mistakenly think the right option is to kick out for jump shots, even when it isn’t always the best choice.”

Northern Iowa’s offensive efficiency isn’t as impressive; they sit at 153rd and struggle at the free-throw line, ranking 278th with just 69.7%. With only 14.1 free throw attempts per game, they rarely capitalize on those opportunities. Senior guard Trey Campbell is their leading scorer, averaging 13.7 points, earning him second-team All-Missouri Valley honors.

Northern Iowa has faced only two NCAA Tournament teams, losing to St. Mary’s while defeating Furman. Interestingly, they haven’t faced any power conference teams, which makes one wonder if they’ve encountered the type of athleticism that St. John’s presents.

A coach mentioned, “I think St. John’s can physically overpower them, especially by posting up and drawing double teams on Zuby. Whether it’s scoring or setting up from there will be crucial.”

One assistant coach expressed skepticism about Northern Iowa’s ability to handle St. John’s athleticism, stating, “It’s hard to see Northern Iowa having the personnel to break through St. John’s defensive length and pressure.”