2013 Iowa Basketball - Defense Continues to Improve / Much more Versatile.

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WinOneThisCentury

Well-Known Member
I know by all measurements our defense improved tremendously year over year. I was thinking about what is returning and the new guys that will be able to play next year. Holy crap, we become a much longer team next year. When you consider adding Uthoff (at 6' 10") and Jok (players with length), we could actually put a group on the floor that looks like this.

Marble
Oleseni
Uthoff
White
Woodbury

How would you like to face the length of that 2-3 match up zone. Marble, Oleseni, White, and Uthoff can all cover some ground. Obviously the match-ups and players can be interchanged to add Basabe, Jok, or whomever, but that is a incredibly long team. With the added strength that Woodbury and Oleseni will pick up in the off season...this is really going to be fun to watch. We are going to be a tough, tough team to score on. With the depth we now have, you will face a fresh team for 40 minutes.
 






WinOneThisCentury said:
I know by all measurements our defense improved tremendously year over year. I was thinking about what is returning and the new guys that will be able to play next year. Holy crap, we become a much longer team next year. When you consider adding Uthoff (at 6' 10") and Jok (players with length), we could actually put a group on the floor that looks like this.

Marble
Oleseni
Uthoff
White
Woodbury

How would you like to face the length of that 2-3 match up zone. Marble, Oleseni, White, and Uthoff can all cover some ground. Obviously the match-ups and players can be interchanged to add Basabe, Jok, or whomever, but that is a incredibly long team. With the added strength that Woodbury and Oleseni will pick up in the off season...this is really going to be fun to watch. We are going to be a tough, tough team to score on. With the depth we now have, you will face a fresh team for 40 minutes.
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So what you're saying is that we could institute a Syracuse-like zone if we wanted to. Considering how well so many teams shoot in the B1G, that's only useful occasionally. See SU v MI for more. I'm wondering how the loss of May will affect man-to-man and transition D, where someone of his size and athleticism can thrive. The 2 most similar players we have defensively would be JO and Ingram, neither of whom are likely to play a lot next year- or are they?
 


UncleHawk said:
So what you're saying is that we could institute a Syracuse-like zone if we wanted to. Considering how well so many teams shoot in the B1G, that's only useful occasionally. See SU v MI for more. I'm wondering how the loss of May will affect man-to-man and transition D, where someone of his size and athleticism can thrive. The 2 most similar2 players we have defensively would be JO and Ingram, neither of whom are likely to play a lot next year- or are they?
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You said see Cuse vs UM. I say what about Cuse vs IU? UM shot 39.6% with starters shooting 14-44. IU shot 33.3%.
 




So you are thinking Iowa would have similar results as Syracuse with this 2-3 matchup when the Orange have been running this defense consistently for 20 years and Iowa would have 1 offseason to implement it?

Im all for zone against certain teams (Minnesota at Carver this year worked brilliantly) but I think Fran is more of a man to man guy and wouldnt think that would change a whole lot from year to year.

This team will be able to guard people. The improvement made from last year to this year was incredible.
 




I want to buy into they hype, but to answer the OP's question, it's pretty simple. Guard Marble and make the other guys beat you. We still only have one guy who can create his own shot, two if you throw a healthy Gesell in, but the rest of the lineup is pretty anemic offensively. No doubt the defense has improved dramatically, but Uthoff and Jok have to contribute offensively, as Oglesby, McCabe and Basabe are who they are at this point in their careers. As we witnessed against Baylor, quick, athletic teams cause us problems and our bigs do not play big, so we lack a physical presence in the post. Top 30 team, possibly. Top 20, I just don't see it unless another shooter or two emerge.
 


tednugentfan said:
I want to buy into they hype, but to answer the OP's question, it's pretty simple. Guard Marble and make the other guys beat you. We still only have one guy who can create his own shot, two if you throw a healthy Gesell in, but the rest of the lineup is pretty anemic offensively. No doubt the defense has improved dramatically, but Uthoff and Jok have to contribute offensively, as Oglesby, McCabe and Basabe are who they are at this point in their careers. As we witnessed against Baylor, quick, athletic teams cause us problems and our bigs do not play big, so we lack a physical presence in the post. Top 30 team, possibly. Top 20, I just don't see it unless another shooter or two emerge.
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Better outside shooting and Woodbury being a threat to score will be the 2 keys to next year, as I see it. Each opens up the opportunities for the other. Their defense was good this year, and I expect it to be as good, if not better. Not having enough scoring options was what really hurt them this year. Jok can shoot, no doubt, but can he play defense - that will be the determining factor in the number of minutes he gets. I don't know enough about Uthoff's game to know where he'll fit in the plans, but being 6'10" helps.
 


tednugentfan said:
I want to buy into they hype, but to answer the OP's question, it's pretty simple. Guard Marble and make the other guys beat you. We still only have one guy who can create his own shot, two if you throw a healthy Gesell in, but the rest of the lineup is pretty anemic offensively. No doubt the defense has improved dramatically, but Uthoff and Jok have to contribute offensively, as Oglesby, McCabe and Basabe are who they are at this point in their careers. As we witnessed against Baylor, quick, athletic teams cause us problems and our bigs do not play big, so we lack a physical presence in the post. Top 30 team, possibly. Top 20, I just don't see it unless another shooter or two emerge.
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Cat Scratch, I get a bit what you are saying. It's the offense that will take us the next step in our evolution, but I think we are better defensively now against quicker teams also. They showed that against MSU in the big ten tourney...59 points to a final 8 team and controlling the game for much of it, I'd say we can play defense against quick teams with bigs. Baylor, in my eyes, was a little shocking...when you miss that many bunnies and your best player thinks he's got to be MJ, something just wasn't right in their heads for that game. They played team ball for 4 games, running their offense for 20-30 seconds to get a good shot, then they decide in the championship to go one on one and quick shoot everything. Wow.

I'm not sure Olgelsby is what he is, he's a Hancock type to me and could be a valuable weapon, but we have to be able to get penetration to make that happen. What you don't mention is that Woodbury will make huge strides between this year and next and if Oleseni does the same, well you will have bigs that play big. White and Uthoff are going to be special together...if White gets the midrange game going...both can beat bigger players off the dribble and they can pass.

Gesell and Clemmons are going to shoot the ball better IMO also. We were young this year.
 


Everyone stay calm because I'm not thinking this will happen...just floating it out there. Since Uthoff has grown 2 inches and can block shots and our rotation is too deep does this put a potential Olaseni RS back on the table? Keep in mind the early reports were that Gabe actually wanted/initiated this. I think he improved too much and will play but you never know.
 


WindsorHawk said:
Everyone stay calm because I'm not thinking this will happen...just floating it out there. Since Uthoff has grown 2 inches and can block shots and our rotation is too deep does this put a potential Olaseni RS back on the table? Keep in mind the early reports were that Gabe actually wanted/initiated this. I think he improved too much and will play but you never know.
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I think earlier in the year this was a real possibility but seeing how well he finished and became an important piece in the rotation I just do not see this happening.

It still makes me sick that they did not redshirt him the year before.
 


ssckelley said:
I think earlier in the year this was a real possibility but seeing how well he finished and became an important piece in the rotation I just do not see this happening.

It still makes me sick that they did not redshirt him the year before.
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I think a lot of us have that sick feeling. I wish he at least would have played if we weren't going to use the RS. That's what really makes me ill. We wasted the year for nothing. Fran is on record saying he should have played him more last year...like a guy that recognizes his mistakes.
 


ssckelley said:
I think earlier in the year this was a real possibility but seeing how well he finished and became an important piece in the rotation I just do not see this happening.

It still makes me sick that they did not redshirt him the year before.
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I don't see it happening either but he has a RS available whereas Meyer and Uthoff have used theirs. He could always sit the exhibition and the 1st game or 2 just to see how things go...if it's something they want to consider. Again, I don't think there is any way he sits...brings too much to the table and it's going to be a special year IMO.
 




Agree with WinOne that Iowa's interior defense will be solid with all the length but I would not be shocked to see a noticeable drop off in perimeter D (just like the "good ol' " days, when Iowa couldn't defend the 3 to save their lives) due to the loss of May. His numbers won't be missed that much but his intensity and leadership will be.

Having it / not having it - both can become contagious.
 


BasketballMan said:
Beast? LOL. He's as gangly / thin as they come.
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So is KD. Is he not a beast? I'm not saying Uthoff is KD yet but being gangly doesn't mean one can't be a beast on the court. All signs point to Fran actually favoring long/gangly players as opposed to strong/stocky types.
 


tednugentfan said:
I want to buy into they hype, but to answer the OP's question, it's pretty simple. Guard Marble and make the other guys beat you. We still only have one guy who can create his own shot, two if you throw a healthy Gesell in, but the rest of the lineup is pretty anemic offensively. No doubt the defense has improved dramatically, but Uthoff and Jok have to contribute offensively, as Oglesby, McCabe and Basabe are who they are at this point in their careers. As we witnessed against Baylor, quick, athletic teams cause us problems and our bigs do not play big, so we lack a physical presence in the post. Top 30 team, possibly. Top 20, I just don't see it unless another shooter or two emerge.
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Who is the one player that can create his shot? Iowa does not have one that can do this on a regular basis, well I guess you can call Marble that player against inferior competition. I am not dissing him, it is what history has shown us.
The player that will be able to do this on a more regular basis next season is Gesell. This should free some space up for Marble to do more work.

Also, if Iowa improves their 3-pt shooting then things can really open up. Also, don't dismiss the impact that Woodbury will have, he is going to be a different player next season. Iowa is going to be a different team next season with some players coming off the bench that are supposed to be good shooters, but we'll have to wait and see. Time will tell, but Iowa has a lot returning and I think Basabe will continue to develop. The thing to remember is Iowa has to develop players above and beyond anything and each year is a process and there is very good reason to think Iowa will be a top 4 BIG team, ranked and an NCAA tournament team.
 


tednugentfan said:
I want to buy into they hype, but to answer the OP's question, it's pretty simple. Guard Marble and make the other guys beat you. We still only have one guy who can create his own shot, two if you throw a healthy Gesell in, but the rest of the lineup is pretty anemic offensively. No doubt the defense has improved dramatically, but Uthoff and Jok have to contribute offensively, as Oglesby, McCabe and Basabe are who they are at this point in their careers. As we witnessed against Baylor, quick, athletic teams cause us problems and our bigs do not play big, so we lack a physical presence in the post. Top 30 team, possibly. Top 20, I just don't see it unless another shooter or two emerge.
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Gessel can score like you said. He was really starting to get his points towards the end of the year, he had a couple of really productive stints in short minutes even after the foot injury.

I think your 2nd/3rd option is going to be Utoff, hes 6'10 can shoot the ball and do things off the dribble that our 3s this year could not. Put him at the 3 that adds a 3rd decent shooting option to the floor and hopefully moves White back to the 4 he can make more things happen as well.

Finally Woodbury should be a more productive option on the block.

Slight improvements from everyone + the addition of Utoff and Iowa is much better team IMO.
 


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