Do You Ever Wonder Why the coach of an unranked smaller conference team (a team that hasn't even managed to beat its in-state rival for 31 years!) would agree to schedule the reigning national champions --- who just happen to be returning all their starters? The BasketCases wondered just that when Maryland traveled to Cedar Falls, Iowa earlier this month to play the University of Northern Iowa on the first stop of the Terps' Loose Meat Sandwich Tour.

Well, last night, playing on rival Iowa's home floor, the UNI Panthers routed the Iowa Hawkeyes by a score of 83-62. Coach Tony DiCecco (who was a most gracious host to the Terps) said this about his team's victory, "I think it's one of the biggest wins in the history of Northern Iowa". And UNI senior Jessie Biggs provides some insight into the mindset of the Panthers' lineup:

"You can always say you're not intimidated playing Iowa, but this year we had played big-time schools. We played Minnesota at their place, Washington at their place, and No. 1 in the nation (Maryland). We knew we could play with people."

Jessie, by the way, is the same player who, after the loss to the Terps, said

"We were able to rebound against 6-4. We were able to do the little things. We're Division I basketball players, we can hit shots. We'll get confidence out of this. We can only go up from here.''

And so they did! The BasketCases congratulate Coach Tony Di and his Panthers on this BIG win for the UNI program! (I guess he answered our question . . . we don't have to wonder any longer.)

Photo Credit: DesMoines Register