Really Proud Of These Kids

QuadCityHawkeye

Well-Known Member
This comes off me being pretty disappointing in the effort against Illinois. I thought that was a season ender on several levels and didn't think they would come out last night and do much. That looked to be the case for the start of the game but then Iowa clawed back and overcame a bad missed foul at the end of regulation. These kids have heart and fight even though the growing pains are there. I've been pissed off at some of the losses, but there is hope with this group for the future. Just think if they had the Omaha, Nebraska, and Minnesota games back? The Minnesota one truly was a screw job and that one stings still. I don't think Iowa will make the NIT but I do admire the fight they give. They need to cut down on the slow starts and FG droughts but I am very excited to see what happened next season with the addition of more youth. There are some tough games left but each game provides a learning experience for the team, and Jok can continue to add to his career stats putting him with some of the greats. Maybe they can get hot in the BTT and extend the season a little but I enjoy watching this group play even if there has been some frustration mixed in.

I also think Fran is the man here. I've had issues with his end of game coaching before but overall I am happy to have him here. The future has some great potential.

Go Hawks!
 




Great job last night guys.

I think this team has preformed right in line with my expectations for the year so I have zero problems with where we are going to finish although I would like us to make the NIT so the kids get a little extra practice in before the season comes to a close.
 


yeah.... first 10 minutes of the game last night. I think I might have been as down as the team, but they did what they needed to do and that's FIGURE it out. For that, I am proud of em.
 
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They played tough last night. I was very impressed, although a loss would have been disastrous...you can't lose two consecutive home games to teams that are going to fire their coach at the end of the year and feel like you had a useful season.

I'm starting to second-guess the value of the CBI, though. A month ago I thought any postseason would be of value to a young team no matter what or where. Now I think the freshmen are completely gassed and it might not be terrible to just throw the towel in at the end and give them a month off.
 


They could have mailed it in after the first 4-5 mins last night pretty easily. That sure didn't happen. That to me is where having such a deep team helps. Not just in bodies you can throw out there but guys that can play. Nothing fires up players more then knowing that if you don't play well your getting benched. Now Indiana isn't exactly a world beater this year but they've had stretches that they've played well too. To pretty much pull the rug on their chances of going dancing was just awesome.
 


They could have mailed it in after the first 4-5 mins last night pretty easily. That sure didn't happen. That to me is where having such a deep team helps. Not just in bodies you can throw out there but guys that can play. Nothing fires up players more then knowing that if you don't play well your getting benched. Now Indiana isn't exactly a world beater this year but they've had stretches that they've played well too. To pretty much pull the rug on their chances of going dancing was just awesome.

Yep, depth was critical last night. Look what happened to Indiana when they got into foul trouble.

I really like the future of this team.
 




They played tough last night. I was very impressed, although a loss would have been disastrous...you can't lose two consecutive home games to teams that are going to fire their coach at the end of the year and feel like you had a useful season.

I'm starting to second-guess the value of the CBI, though. A month ago I thought any postseason would be of value to a young team no matter what or where. Now I think the freshmen are completely gassed and it might not be terrible to just throw the towel in at the end and give them a month off.


Yeah, I am going back and forth with that as well for the exact same reason. I am for playing more games, but if they shut it down I get it.
 


I think every Iowa player has improved since the start of the season. Some improved earlier than others, but you can look back and find instances where they demonstrated they could play at this level. The player that has shown me the most improvement lately is Christian Williams. He has demonstrated ability to defend at the top of the key and has improved his offense. All of the freshman/sophomore players have up and down games, but they all have some positive experience to carry into next year.
 


I posted in a couple of threads that I thought Iowa could easily lose 3 out of next 4. PCHawk responded with the "any team can beat anyone anytime its college basketball" response. I just rolled my eyes; my thought process was, he is just rattling off sports cliches. Turns out he may be right and it is looking like I could be wrong. I want to be wrong.

Can't remember what podcast it was, but Jon asked Deace what percentage were B1G teams winning their home games. I was with Deace I was thinking it was at 70, 75% It turns out it is/was at a 58% clip. I was surprised at how low it was. It just added credence to what PChawk was getting at, especially this year.
 


Iowa has some tough games left, but any team can beat anyone anytime its college basketball. Hopefully, Iowa will have a run in the conference tournament.
 


Iowa has some tough games left, but any team can beat anyone anytime its college basketball. Hopefully, Iowa will have a run in the conference tournament.


I am not expecting Iowa to win the conference tournament, but they can get a game or two. Winning a couple of games might get them in the NIT.
 


I think every Iowa player has improved since the start of the season. Some improved earlier than others, but you can look back and find instances where they demonstrated they could play at this level. The player that has shown me the most improvement lately is Christian Williams. He has demonstrated ability to defend at the top of the key and has improved his offense. All of the freshman/sophomore players have up and down games, but they all have some positive experience to carry into next year.
One big thing with Christian is he's fresh. He hasn't played a ton of minutes and is using his fresh legs and length to his advantage. This is also giving JB a chance to find his legs again before the BTT.
 


Oh man, UNO, Nebby first game, Minny, and Illinois 2nd game......what a difference those 4 made. We'd be solid in the bubble on just those 4. Welp...only one thing left to do. Win the whole Godd Damnnn thing in D.C!
The BTT is wide open this year IMO. There are so many good teams and no great teams. I won't be surprised if only 1 or 2 of the top 4 seeds are still playing Saturday.
 


I posted in a couple of threads that I thought Iowa could easily lose 3 out of next 4. PCHawk responded with the "any team can beat anyone anytime its college basketball" response. I just rolled my eyes; my thought process was, he is just rattling off sports cliches. Turns out he may be right and it is looking like I could be wrong. I want to be wrong.

Can't remember what podcast it was, but Jon asked Deace what percentage were B1G teams winning their home games. I was with Deace I was thinking it was at 70, 75% It turns out it is/was at a 58% clip. I was surprised at how low it was. It just added credence to what PChawk was getting at, especially this year.

I think our good is good enough to beat Wisconsin and Maryland's average. Our great is probably enough to beat their good. We may even get lucky and beat their bad with our average. Even if they're 10 points better, that's just us making a couple extra plays and them missing a couple extra shots. There is such a small margin of error as long as you're not Licklighter or Rutgers bad, which we're not even close to.
 


Yeah, I am going back and forth with that as well for the exact same reason. I am for playing more games, but if they shut it down I get it.

Agreed. Much as NIT or NCAA is a "positive", CIT or CBI? Hell, don't most teams do some sort of "tour" anyway? Plus, we got PTL, a couple exhibition games that don't count. So I, too, fail to see the merit in entering CIT/CBI just for the right to play a 2-out-of-3 against Directional Arkansas Tech in order to hoist a trophy that, a decade from now, would probably be banished from the display case.

Frankly, if a trophy like that is NOT banished within 10 years, the program has bigger problems than deciding what we need to do to make the NIT (given that we need to win BTT to get into NCAA) in an "off"/"rebuilding" year.
 


Agreed. Much as NIT or NCAA is a "positive", CIT or CBI? Hell, don't most teams do some sort of "tour" anyway? Plus, we got PTL, a couple exhibition games that don't count. So I, too, fail to see the merit in entering CIT/CBI just for the right to play a 2-out-of-3 against Directional Arkansas Tech in order to hoist a trophy that, a decade from now, would probably be banished from the display case.

Frankly, if a trophy like that is NOT banished within 10 years, the program has bigger problems than deciding what we need to do to make the NIT (given that we need to win BTT to get into NCAA) in an "off"/"rebuilding" year.

Oh my gosh, winning the CIT or CBI trophy would be more of an embarrassment than anything. Almost be better to throw the game if they make the finals.

I get that we could use the extra practices and games but if we're in one of these pathetic tournaments, I don't want to know about it.
 


Oh my gosh, winning the CIT or CBI trophy would be more of an embarrassment than anything. Almost be better to throw the game if they make the finals.

I get that we could use the extra practices and games but if we're in one of these pathetic tournaments, I don't want to know about it.

Google The Simpsons episode with Frank "Grimey" Grimes. The spot where Homer enters the plant design contest for kids is EXACTLY how we should feel about CIT/CBI!
 


The team is battling. This year has so much "this is exactly what I expected" written all over it that it's hard for me to be either too pumped up or too let down about the way things have gone. Games where you say "Man, these guys will be pretty good someday" and other games leave you thinking "WTF was THAT?" Young team - lots of inconsistency but you see some flashes of what they'll hopefully be doing more consistently next year and beyond.

All that said - nice bounce back game after a tough 3-game losing streak, and happy with the way the team fought back and won the game after falling behind early against IU. They could've packed up their tents and called it a night, but they didn't. It's great to see that type of resiliency when they're down.
 




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