Northern Iowa Panthers

The Northern Iowa Panthers play a physical, defense-driven brand of basketball at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, a style that has carried the program to some of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history. UNI's purple and gold have become synonymous with disciplined, well-coached Missouri Valley Conference basketball. The Panthers have built a reputation as a team no high seed wants to face in March. Northern Iowa's program has grown from a small teachers' college into one of the Valley's most consistent winners. Cedar Falls basketball runs through the Panthers.

Northern Iowa basketball dates to 1900-01 and moved into the Missouri Valley Conference in 1991-92. The Panthers' signature moment came in 2010, when 9-seed Northern Iowa upset top-seeded Kansas to reach the Sweet 16. UNI has won multiple Missouri Valley Tournament (Arch Madness) championships over the years, most recently in 2026, and has made nine NCAA Tournament appearances overall.