Big 4 basketball

Northern Iowa got a little revenge on former coach and alum Greg McDermott on Wednesday night in the form of a 70-57 win at the UNI-Dome. The Panthers hosted the Cyclones in its football venue instead of its new basketball arena in order to sell $30-tickets to about 3,000 more fans.

Both coaches, Iowa State's McDermott and the Panthers' Ben Jacobson, said they weren't worth the money, but maybe the game was. It was closer than the score indicated.

Missouri Valley Conference member Northern Iowa's beating the Big 12's Iowa State isn't much of a shocker. But the Valley is shaking its mid-major term. Wichita State is No. 17 in the AP poll, and Creighton, Missouri State and Southern Illinois have also received votes.

Next up on the Big 4 slate is Drake at Iowa State on Sunday ... tickets for admission into the Hilton Coliseum are $11.

Do you think the Valley can record another win over a "major" conference?