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By KELLY BEATON
Waterloo (IA) Courier Sports Writer
CEDAR FALLS – If you saw it, you probably did a spit-take.
Yes, it means next-to-nothing, but the Northern Iowa Panthers were actually No. 3 in the RPI earlier this week. Since then, UNI (1-0) has faded back to a still-impressive 14th, according to daily RPI polls.
If the Panthers hope to stay in that rarefied air a solid showing at this weekend’s Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands is a necessity.
Here are the hurdles that stand in their way:
SCHOOL: DePaul (1-0)
RPI: No. 217
SKINNY: DePaul, whom UNI clashes with in Friday’s first-round, presents a stiff challenge, considering it possesses the 6-foot-10 Mac Koshwal – who appeared on at least one cover of a preseason magazine.
Adam Koch, here’s an early litmus test.
SCHOOL: Tenth-ranked Tennessee (2-0)
RPI: No. 38
SKINNY: The Volunteers would offer UNI an early NCAA-Tournament-caliber test, should the teams meet in the second round in St. Thomas.
Not only do coach Bruce Pearl and senior star Tyler Smith have Iowa ties, but it would also be awfully intriguing to see how the Panthers would try to contend with 6-7 sophomore guard Scotty Hopson.
A word of warning: the Vols shot 59.7 percent in Tuesday’s 124-49 romp over UNC-Asheville. Ouch.
SCHOOL: Seventh-ranked Purdue (1-0)
SKINNY: The Boilermakers return their top six players off last year’s Sweet 16 squad — which happened to nip UNI, 61-56, in the NCAA Tournament. Forward Robbie Hummel is a possible Big Ten Player of the Year.
If you beat Purdue on Monday you get instant cred throughout the Midwest, Panthers.
OTHER POSSIBLE PARADISE JAM OPPONENTS: East Carolina (0-2), No. 250 RPI; South Dakota State (1-0), No. 263; St. Joe’s (0-0), No. 208; Boston College (2-0), No. 190.
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