Northern Iowa will forever be linked to a magical March afternoon when the Panthers beat Kansas in one of the more memorable upsets in NCAA tournament history.
The Panthers want to make sure that taking down the overall No. 1 seed is not all they'll be remembered for - even though they've got a lot of holes to fill.
Northern Iowa lost three starters from the team that won a school-record 30 games and pushed Michigan State before falling in the Sweet 16 last season. The Panthers aren't planning on a rebuilding season, not after winning the last two Missouri Valley Conference titles.
''We've got competitive players in our program right now. They expect to be in the mix in February. They expect to be knocking on the door for a conference championship, for an NCAA tournament bid,'' Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson said. ''That is their mentality. And, for my staff and myself, it's really fun to be around them because they expect to be good.''
Despite losing key starters Jordan Eglseder, Adam Koch and Ali Farokhmanesh, a program built by former coach Greg McDermott and taken higher by Jacobson is as solid as ever.
The school locked up Jacobson with a new 10-year deal just before they left to play the Spartans, and what Northern Iowa lacks in experience it should make up for with a stable of youngsters suited to thrive in Jacobson's system.
And the defense will be a rugged as ever.
Northern Iowa has been one of the nation's best defensive teams over the past two years and allowed just 55.1 points per game in 2009-10. Under Jacobson, the Panthers have won by buying into the philosophy that grabbing loose balls, taking charges and controlling the boards is a five-man job.
The biggest challenge will be replacing Eglseder, a 7-foot rock in the middle. But sixth man Lucas O'Rear will likely step into a starting role at forward. Koch's little brother, sophomore forward Jake Koch, looks capable of replacing his older sibling down low, and 6-foot-10 sophomore center Austin Pehl has made great strides since last spring, according to Jacobson.
''When I talk about our team and how we're going to play, I'm going to talk about defense first,'' Jacobson said. ''If you're going to be a great defensive team, trust is maybe the most important factor.''
Northern Iowa has lost a lot of offensive firepower. Farokhmanesh's gutsy 3 to beat Kansas was the most public display of the fearless and deadly touch he'd shown all season, and Koch and Eglseder were adept at getting tough baskets.
The offense will be run through senior point guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe, the team's most explosive player. Guards Johnny Moran and Kerwin Dunham will see their roles expand, and sophomores Anthony James and Marc Sonnen could emerge as key weapons in the backcourt.
''Having players that have the ability to get 20 (points) on a given night is very important. And I do think that we've got a number of different guys that can do that,'' Jacobson said. ''But I don't think that one player or two or even three players need to drastically change what they're doing.''
Many thought Northern Iowa had come from nowhere to topple Kansas, but that's hardly the case. The Panthers have reached the NCAA tournament in five of the past seven seasons, all while playing smart, balanced offense and a stifling defense that wears out most opponents.
Beating the Jayhawks was nice, but it's old news in Cedar Rapids.
''I'm pretty confident that all of us have put that behind us,'' O'Rear said. ''That's last year. That's in the past and you have to get over it.''
The Panthers open at No. 10 Syracuse on Friday night.
