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We continue our 2016-17 season preview interview series with Northern Iowa SR SG Jeremy Morgan. He has started every single game for the Panthers during the past 2 years and does a little of everything: he blocks shots, knocks down more than 80% of his FTs, and even led the conference in SPG. He was also front and center for 2 of the wildest finishes in the NCAA tourney last March: a half-court buzzer beater and a double-OT stunner. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Jeremy about being a senior leader and coming from a basketball family.
You grew up in Coralville, IA: what made you choose the Panthers? It felt like home to me when I came up here on my visit. I got along great with the players/coaches and it felt like the right spot for me.
Last year you led the conference with 1.9 SPG: what is your secret for being a great defender? I do not know if there is a secret: I just like to go out and play hard on both ends of the court. It feels good to contribute on defense if you are not scoring a lot on offense.
You also had 32 BLK: how on earth were you able to do that as a 6’5” guard?! It is just about making the effort and using my ability to affect as many shots as I can on defense.
Your 80.5 FT% was #4 in the conference: what is the key to making FTs? We shoot a lot of them every day and try to get in some extra shots before games.
Take me through the unforgettable 2016 NCAA tourney:
You scored 16 PTS and Paul Jesperson banked in a half-court shot at the buzzer in a 3-PT win over Texas: did you think the shot was going in, and what was your reaction like after he made it? I had no idea if it was going in but I certainly hoped it was. After it went in I felt the most excited that I have ever been: I think I was the 1st 1 to run over to Paul and hug him.
You scored a school tourney-record 36 PTS in a 4-PT 2-OT loss to Texas A&M after the Aggies overcame a 12-PT deficit with 44 seconds left in regulation: how do you try to overcome such a devastating loss, and what did you learn from that game that you think can help you this year? Obviously it is not very easy to get over it but hopefully we can learn from it as we get ready for next season.
You play for Coach Ben Jacobson: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? He believes in all of us: whenever things are not going our way he does a great job of bringing everyone together. 1 of the things he has been working on with the older guys is developing a sense of toughness. Basketball is much more of a mental game than most people think so he tries to build our character and make us better people, not just better basketball players.
Your non-conference schedule is loaded once again including several teams who made the tourney last March like Xavier/Iowa/North Carolina: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? All of them will be tough especially because they are all on the road. I am just excited to go attack those challenges with our team.
You are the only senior on the roster: how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this year? All seniors feel pressure because you only have 1 chance to play college ball so we just try to bring the young guys along with us.
Your father Michael played basketball at Iowa, your mother Cris played basketball at Drake, and your sister Mikaela plays for the UNI women’s basketball team: who is the best athlete in the family, and do you credit at least some of your success to genetics? I do not know which of us is the best: we are all pretty talented, including my younger siblings. The genetics are there a little bit but I tell my younger siblings to keep working hard to develop different parts of their game.
What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I have a lot of goals. I do not know how many teams have been able to 3-peat in the MVC tourney so that would be neat. I also want to find another gear and make it back to the NCAA tourney again.